After the Unimatrix
by Anniexus
Summary: AU starting directly after the destruction of Unimatrix Zero. Seven simply acknowledges the feelings Unimatrix Zero and Axum stirred up a little earlier than in the show. FYI The only reason it's showing as "In Progress" is because I might leave the ending somewhat open. As usual, we all know I don't own Chakotay, or Seven or Star Trek Voyager
1. Chapter 1

Story: AU starting directly after the destruction of Unimatrix Zero. I don't seem to do many AU's so have pity on me as I venture out of my comfort zone.

Thank you's are due to those authors who have been writing ahead of me. You'll probably recognise some of your themes as you come across them. I have also taken dialogue from the original show since a lot of this is meant to fit into their world. The more I wrote, the more I realized Voyager is so subject to outside influences that many (almost all) events likely would have happened regardless of small changes in Seven and Chakotay's characters. Besides, the original writers/actors know the characters better than I do.

As usual, we all know I don't own Chakotay, or Seven or Star Trek Voyager. I make no money off this and don't expect to. The creative rights all belong to the creators and legal owners of Star Trek. I'm just grateful to have this creative outlet.

 **The Green-Eyed Monster**

"I honestly believe she wants to do right by us."

"Well," Chakotay sighed, "that's good enough for me."

The truth was, Captain Janeway's assurance wasn't good enough for Commander Chakotay. Though he was not yet unhappy that Seven of Nine survived his attempt to eject her out of the airlock, he'd yet to be proven wrong about her basic nature.

His suspicions didn't make him hate Seven, just wary of her.

He even forgave or overlooked the mistakes and problems that were obviously due to growing pains and deprogramming of Borg habits, the tragic death of the salesman Kovin and her disobeying orders in order to send a member of Species 8472. No, he didn't trust Seven or even Janeway's assessment, but he swallowed his concerns and hoped for the best.

The crew had no choice but to go through the nebula, which meant they had to go into stasis, leaving the Doctor and Seven of Nine to run the ship for a month. The potential for disaster was beyond disturbing.

He was proven wrong, a surprise he was secure enough to admit to and learn from. It by no means meant he believed her Borg nature was gone. He just had to wait for his fears to be proven right.

His suspicious ego had purred a little when Seven bit B'Elanna while in the thralls of the debilitating effects of the vinculum, courtesy of Species 6339. However, it took no time for the truth of the incident to be discovered.

A trip to sickbay during an 'episode' as she experienced a child's personality and then that of a Vulcan officer left him reeling with confused emotions over the former drone. In the end, Chakotay's pity took over any other emotions he had.

Awhile later when she abandoned them for the Collective, he was saddened to think he had been right, that though the woman could be redeemed like Janeway said, the Borg part of her was too consuming and too persuasive to be ignored. A small part of him had come to hope – perhaps as much as Janeway did – that the woman could be redeemed.

He was proven wrong again, Seven's loyalty to Voyager and its crew surpassing the expectations of anyone. Deny it as much as she did, even Janeway had her moment of doubt during that incident.

Self-sacrifice was clearly within Seven's nature from almost the start, if it assisted her collective. However, it took that sacrifice on Voyager's behalf in order for Chakotay to realize Seven considered a return to the Borg equal to the ultimate sacrifice. Death, he suspected, would have been easier for Seven to give in to than the Collective. It was a humbling realization.

After awhile, it wasn't that Chakotay doubted or disliked Seven, just that he knew how hard old habits died. He'd hated carrots his entire conscious life, but he only remembered thinking he disliked them because he remembered his mother saying she hated them first. It wasn't the same as the brainwashing drones endured, but it was enough for him to understand and believe with a strong conviction that mental programming was almost impossible to ignore.

Despite his initially prejudiced feelings, he very gradually grew used to her sometimes frustrating presence. It was awhile before he could really look past her abrasive walls and, like he did with B'Elanna, see something of the vulnerable woman behind her protective shell.

And yet, unlike many, he remained untouched by her physical beauty.

In those earlier days, Seven was too wrapped up in healing and learning from her previous life to see herself clearly and Chakotay was still too damaged by his previous relationships to see just what Seven could become.

Chakotay had never been ignorant of her attractiveness. He'd listened with amusement to Harry's stuttering, seen more than a few people blush in her presence, and even heard a few bawdy comments from a handful of men after a few too many drinks at Sandrine's. And yet, this was one instance he wholeheartedly agreed with Seven of Nine: beauty was irrelevant.

He saw and heard all these things, but had no personal interest in Seven until he began to really understand her, and this happened so gradually that he could never pinpoint an exact moment when he believed her to be more human than Borg, saw her more as an equal than a subordinate crewmember, or felt her to be more woman than she saw herself to be.

If he examined his feelings very closely, he might have thought his moment of attraction sparked when he discovered the Doctor was teaching her how to date and had to deal with the fallout when she discovered the Doctor and Tom placed a bet on her ability to perform. He'd been amused and impressed with her threat to the ambassador, and nothing but sympathetic at her hurt at being the brunt of a cruel bet. His anger at the two men was justified, but beneath the surface had been something else, something he'd been unable to identify at the time. Then, later, she admitted she'd wanted to be a ballerina when she was a child. Even if he'd not felt romantic towards her, the confession had certainly made him soften a little more. His sister had wanted to be a ballerina. The unexpected comparison had a stronger impact on him than anything else.

All revelations aside, Chakotay knew better than to ever speak about his growing interest, to ever let on that he saw Seven as anything other than an insubordinate and often stubborn crewmember.

In fact, he managed so well at hiding his budding admiration that he soon ceased to understand himself.

Until he saw her fight.

With the crowds chanting "Tsunkatse!" and Seven squared off against an alien male who clearly had no qualms about killing her, there'd been no way for Chakotay to deny his feelings anymore. He liked her, more than he thought wise. The fear of her dying in a fighting ring for nothing more than the pleasure of the crowds was horrifying to him on moral and personal grounds. He would have jumped in himself to help, but it turned out the fight was merely being projected from another site.

He'd convinced himself he would tell her how he felt after that, but when the dust settled and he had time to fall back into old fears and habits, everything went on just as it had before. Besides, it was silly to feel any attraction to Seven of Nine… utterly ridiculous. It was just a crush like most of the males on Voyager had felt. Nonsense. He'd forget about it. It was nothing… Wasn't it?

His tender admiration was pushed aside so that he believed himself indifferent or at least nothing more than a friend.

Not even very deep down, he knew he was lying to himself.

[Sickbay]

"If I ever imply he was nothing more than a friend, remind me of today." Seven tried to smile, to make it a joking echo of Captain Janeway's own words from a moment before, but it fell flat to her ears. Her heart, which had been growing full of hope only a day before, felt cold and physically heavier, though she told herself that was impossible.

Janeway smiled anyway, pleased that Seven at least could move past her Borg programming to admit such a thing, small as it was. The smile was sad and pitying, and all too understanding. Seven was not the only one with a loved one beyond her reach. Mark seemed a lifetime ago, but she still found herself thinking of him almost every day. He was the love of her life, much as she suspected Axum could be Seven's.

"I will leave you to rest."

 _She doesn't have to be like you_ , said a small voice in Janeway's mind. _She's still relatively young. If she just socialized more…_

Seven tilted her head in a farewell and turned to go, but the Captain's voice stopped her.

"You know, Tuvok goes hiking on the holodeck a few times a week. He opens the doors to anyone who wants to join him for the exercise."

Seven raised a brow. "I am aware."

"Maybe you should take him up on it when he's feeling better. I think it's a sizeable group most days."

"Perhaps."

"Or Tom has a game night organized every week. I think tomorrow's game is poker."

Seven had been on Voyager long enough to know what the social opportunities were and knew Janeway well enough to know this pressure to participate in socialization would not dissipate without a token appearance. She could go to one event and Janeway would be satisfied and then everything would return to normal. She nodded. "I will ask him about it."

"Good." Janeway smiled again. "And, Seven, Annika really did suit you."

That was not yet something Seven could answer so she settled for a short smile and nod before leaving.

She felt a little too tired and beaten for the Captain's well-meaning suggestions, but tried to hide her feelings.

Indeed, though her heart felt like it was literally broken, she spoke of it to no one and would do her best to hide it even from those who had been her first and closest supporters.

Alone in the cargo bay, Seven looked up at her alcove. She was tired and in need of regeneration, but the thought of giving in to the Borg oblivion was repulsive. It felt like an admittance of defeat to have liberated so many drones and yet still be restricted by the scars the Borg left her with.

Seven held out her left hand, examining the metal of the exoskeleton with a fascinated disgust. She flexed the fingers, feeling how much stronger it was than her right hand. The hidden tubules within moved a little as she thought about them, how they could tap into every known computer and grant her access to entire ships in the blink of an eye. Her weight shifted on reinforced legs, her lungs breathed easier and more efficiently than the average human. These things were all benefits to her, but only in that she was a hardy crewmember and useful like a toolkit.

By far the Borg enhancements felt more like a wall between her and everyone else, even if those walls were all her own, the result of clinging desperately to the highest ideal the Borg held: perfection.

While inside the program, Unimatrix Zero had wiped the signs of Borg atrocities both from her flesh and her mind for the few hours she spent regenerating. It had been enough that she could even start to believe herself to be within reach of her individuality, within grasp of being accepted as a human woman in her own right. The immediate and unquestioning acceptance by her former friends there and the admiring gaze of Axum had been like a bridge she didn't know she needed to escape an island she didn't realize she was on.

And now it was gone, all gone.

Returning to the waking world, to Voyager, where people could see the evidence of her time in the Collective erased all the hope she had begun to build in the dream world. Like any other dream, the details and nuances, the possibilities that had seemed so real hours before faded into nothing. She felt the unescapable shift from Annika to Seven of Nine carry her away like a roller coaster she had no control over. It saddened her, this break which must ultimately lead to her separation from the rest of Voyager's crew. It wasn't that she was mistreated, but she knew now just how different things would be if she didn't have the metal implants. She was in a cycle she couldn't see a way to break. She acted like a drone because she saw herself as one, which made people on Voyager see her as a drone, which made her see the same.

Shaking her head as though to clear it of her wayward thoughts, Seven forced herself to step into the alcove.

 _Irrelevant_ , she told herself. _I am Borg_.

 _No, I'm human._

Her sight was caught by her own reflection in the metal of her alcove. The green glow off her facial implant made her think of the full ocular enhancement she used to wear. There was no ignoring the truth.

 _I am Borg._

She winced slightly as her head gave a twinge. Clearly, she'd gone too long since a proper regeneration cycle.

The click and whirl as the alcove began its cycle put an end to her internal struggles at least for awhile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Poker Face**

"I'm just saying it's strange." B'Elanna irritably pushed a few chairs around Tom's quarters while Tom and Harry set up the chips.

It was poker night and they were just waiting for the rest of the players to appear. A larger table had been brought in and the regular furniture pushed aside to make room for everyone. It was potluck so the snacks would be provided by the other players. It was a tradition started primarily because Tom was always losing his rations in bets or for infractions so when he hosted, everyone simply brought their own treats.

Tom shrugged, not really minding the additional player. "Maybe she wants to learn something new."

"Wouldn't poker be irrelevant?"

With a laugh, Tom nodded. "If you have a problem with her joining us, you don't have to sit near her."

"It's not that."

The door buzzed.

"Enter," Tom called. The doors opened. "Ah, Chief, what have you brought for us tonight?"

Chakotay smiled as Tom rubbed his hands together and took the covered dish from him. "Nothing elaborate today, Tom. I've been growing jalapenos and made poppers."

Harry eyed the dish with interest. "Oooh, I love those."

"Better this than what the Captain tried to pass off as dry ribs last time," said Tom.

Chakotay laughed. The ribs had certainly been dry, more like charcoal. "So, what are you talking about?"

"B'Elanna doesn't want Seven to join us." Tom, already chewing on one of Chakotay's jalapenos answered with a cheerful bluntness that earned him a smack in the side from B'Elanna.

B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "I'm just asking why now. She's never shown an interest in joining us before."

Harry straightened up, finished with the chips. "Maybe she's lonely," he said quietly.

B'Elanna snorted, but Tom gave the suggestion credence, nodding.

"We don't really know what Unimatrix Zero was like," Harry continued. He had thought about it a fair bit, wondering how the drones lived. "It would be torture to be trapped in a dream world, to know what your body was doing but be unable to act independently."

B'Elanna shivered. "Horrible."

"True," said Tom. "Can you imagine?"

B'Elanna shook her head, thankful she was now whole and healed from their brush with the Borg. If nothing else, their experience had given her a new appreciation for the victims of the Collective, even Seven. She shuddered, remembering the heartless Borg ship, the feeling of her body invaded with technology, the call of the Collective the Doctor's inhibitors had not been able to fully drive away. It seemed a miracle they had pulled off what they did. It was just as much a miracle that any of the former drones had survived what they did.

"But then Seven didn't remember it," Harry continued, "and suddenly she's confronted with everything and everyone she forgot when Voyager disconnected her from the Collective. It would be a whole new life and self-awareness you didn't have before. You'd wonder who you really were and what it means to be yourself, what else you couldn't remember, not to mention the people you used to live with. What if you had friends you forgot, family, lovers…"

"Harry?" Tom hid a smirk.

Harry looked up, realizing he'd been speaking aloud without filtering his thoughts. He blushed. "I – I mean, how would it feel?"

B'Elanna tried to laugh it off and Tom chuckled, but Chakotay hid his deep disconcertion by busying himself straightening napkins and utensils that were all perfectly set. Harry's thoughts were insightful and things Chakotay had also considered, but he hadn't expected to hear them just then. _Lovers…_ The thought was irksome, but he refused to acknowledge why.

"Well," said Harry, "just think about it. You think you know your whole life, which all falls into a perfect little compartment and then one day everything you think you know about yourself turns out to be false."

"It's not like she's been faking an identity, Harry," said B'Elanna. She sat down with a weary sigh.

"No, but if the human part of her grew up in Unimatrix Zero with other individuals, it stands to reason she would have developed differently. If she grew up like a normal child with others like her, she could have been a totally different person. You have to wonder what she was like in there."

B'Elanna shrugged, but the truth was that she too had wondered. Her short time as a drone had opened up a world of questions she'd been trying to avoid answering ever since. She had been a drone. If it weren't for their plan and the Doctor's skills, she could have been as willing a participant in the Collective as Seven used to be. She could too easily have been a murderer, have believed that following the single, unifying voice of the Collective towards their version of perfection was good. That thought was disturbing and made it painfully difficult to judge Seven as harshly as she had previously been prone to do. Not that she was going to let onto that. Borg pride had to be kept in check after all!

The door chimed again and they were soon joined by the rest of their group, eight people in total. The group, in order around the table, consisted of Tom, B'Elanna, Harry, Vorik, Megan Delany, Chakotay, Seven of Nine, and Ensign Johannson.

Though Seven had never played poker before, she was relieved to hear that Megan Delany hadn't either. Ensign Johannson claimed to only be a passable player as well. These confessions did nothing to dampen the group's spirits. It was, after all, only a friendly night together.

Vorik, who Tom said had a killer poker face, offered to assist Megan.

This was somewhat to Harry's disappointment and he was too far away to assist Seven.

Chakotay, however, spoke up a little too quickly with an offer to teach her.

Seven tried to wave the Commander's offer off with the assurance that she had assimilated enough Starfleet officers to know the basics of the game, but he was equally confident in his persuasion that reading the book was different from practicing the sport.

An hour into the game and they had all settled into a comfortable swing.

"I'll raise you ten." Vorik threw in his chips.

Megan frowned over her cards. "I'm out," she said uncertainly.

Chakotay looked over at Seven's cards, which she held at an angle for him to review. Out of necessity – I'm _just trying to help her along_ – Chakotay and Seven had scooted their chairs closer together, close enough that their arms and legs occasionally touched. He thought a moment. He made a decision, but she pre-empted him.

"I'll see your bet and raise you another ten."

Tom, who had already opted out of the round, raised his brow, suddenly struck with amusement at the thought of a poker showdown between a Vulcan and a Borg drone.

Chakotay, for his part, wondered if she was indeed picking up the rules and nuances of the game faster than he expected or gave her credit for, or if she had read his mind. Though she continued to give him access to view her cards, she hadn't needed his suggestions since the first two hands.

Seven may not have been adept at reading nuances of human thoughts and emotions yet, but she had watched enough of Commander Chakotay's body language during the first two rounds to be sufficiently certain what he was going to suggest when he looked at her cards. She knew the rules well enough, had reviewed them not an hour before attending the game, but the nuances of the other players were somewhat mysterious to her. Here she relied on his judgement and her observations of him. She noticed and mentally logged the turn of the corner of his lips, the widening or narrowing of his eyes, the set of his shoulders as he analyzed the options and advised her.

A thigh brushed her own, causing Seven to lose her concentration. She shuffled away, certain the contact must be a rude annoyance to the Commander and yet… Seven had accidentally touched arms or legs with the Commander several times already. If he'd found it uncomfortable, he could have moved back, but he didn't. In fact, he seemed to close the gaps she put between them every time one of these physical glances occurred.

 _Axum used to do that._ The thought was unbidden and immediately painful despite her attempt to quash it. Only vague impressions and feelings of her original time in Unimatrix Zero had surfaced so far, but they were enough for her to have these moments of déjà vu.

Unlike Seven, Chakotay had not lost his focus, but the greater point of his attention had shifted to the small patch of skin that felt warmer despite the teasingly short contact between his leg and Seven's. He tried to shake himself into paying attention again, but the innocent touch was enough to consume him. He leaned in under the pretense of looking more closely at her cards, but it was a lie he told even to himself, and a sad one at that. It wasn't even as though they were touching skin on skin.

Needless to say, Seven and Chakotay lost the round. Vorik collected his chips, somehow making emotionlessness look smug.

They played another game, calling their night done when Harry began to yawn widely.

"No, no, don't stop playing on my account." Harry's jaw cracked with the force of his yawn, but the others had already stood and begun quickly tidying up the space.

"Naw, I think we could all probably do with an early night," said Tom. He drew his arm around B'Elanna, who was looking particularly drowsy herself. "Want to just leave this stuff until tomorrow, honey?"

B'Elanna normally didn't like to leave clutter, but she was exhausted. She agreed with a sigh and nod. Despite her tiredness, she stood to show their guests out. Seven, quicker than the others, was the first ready to leave, but she hesitated at the door, stopping to speak with B'Elanna.

"Are you still feeling the affects of your assimilation, Lieutenant?" Seven's question was asked in her usual bluntness, but those who knew her better recognized the real concern in her eyes.

"A little," B'Elanna admitted. "At least I don't have a clamp on my spine anymore, but I swear I can still feel those nanoprobes crawling on my skin."

"Nanoprobes would be contained to your bloodstream and Borg –" she stopped, catching herself. "I thought the Doctor said you would make a full recovery."

B'Elanna smiled, regretting her exaggeration in the face of Seven's concern. "Yes, I will. The Doctor says the last of the nanoprobes will filter out of my body naturally."

"I am glad to hear it." She ducked her head, clearly searching for appropriate words. "I want to thank you."

B'Elanna was taken aback. "For what?"

"For risking your individuality and your life. It was very selfless and brave." Without more than a brief nod to the somewhat stunned Lieutenant, Seven took her share of the soiled trays and left swiftly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Misinvitations**

Seven sighed, the map on the astrometrics screen only serving to darken her mood.

"Good morning, Seven."

With a bit of a jump, Seven quickly turned off the map of the Beta Quadrant she'd been staring at and pulled up their current trajectory.

"So, did you have fun last night?" Chakotay, ignoring the multitude of duties he had to do that particular morning, had decided to personally collect the morning reports from the various parts of the ship. He deliberately left astrometrics until last. After hearing Harry's contemplations about Unimatrix Zero, Chakotay realized he'd been remiss, failing to follow up with Seven after the incident. She'd appeared her normal self and he'd ignored any initial concern, a choice he now regretted.

Seven glanced at him, her attention already back on her work after handing him the PADD with her report. "It was a pleasant evening."

"How does it compare to the Doctor's social lessons?" He smiled, hoping this would be an opening to a discussion.

"There is no comparison." Seven punched in a command with a little more force than necessary. "The Collective is preferable to those programs."

"So I've heard." On more than one occasion the Doctor vented to him and Janeway about Seven's stubborn lack of interest in the programs. A few had held her attention, but the bulk were deemed outright frivolous wastes of time. "Can I confess something to you?"

Seven nodded, her attention now wholly on him though her hands remained on the console.

"I once looked into the Doctor's programs for you. They're boring. I'm sure they were good when you first joined Voyager, but reviewing those same humdrum daily activities over and over again wouldn't have held anyone's interest for long, let alone yours."

"May I ask what led you to look into the Doctor's lessons for me?" Seven's brow raised at his assessment, but inside she was seething with anger borne of embarassment. It was no secret she'd needed lessons on how to interact with individuals, but the reminder from her superior officer – one who'd wished her off the ship from day one – was a reminder how far removed she still was from the rest of the crew.

"The Doctor liked to complain when you refused to cooperate." Chakotay shrugged, not yet aware he'd caused any particular sting. "I was curious just what you were rebelling against. It wasn't much of a surprise."

"And you believe my resistance was out of boredom?" If she'd been thinking rationally just then, she wouldn't have taken his statements badly, but his reminder of her Borg leanings paired with her misery over Axum and the destruction of Unimatrix Zero, all whirling in her mind along with the map of the Beta Quadrant was a bad combination. To add injury to insult, her head hurt with the dull pain of a stubborn headache. She didn't know what his thoughts were or why he was there, but she was prepared to think the worst.

"Wasn't it?"

"Perhaps I simply grew tired of being treated like a child."

"Yes, I can understand that too." Instinct told him something wasn't right, but he didn't know what.

"Then you believe I no longer require those social lessons?"

Sensing something like a trap coming with her cold tone, Chakotay stiffened a little. "I didn't review every program he created."

"Then you believe I should take the Doctor's advice and spend more time trying to fit in with a bunch of holographic recreations? Or maybe you're here to follow up on the Captain's insistence that I learn to be more human."

"I…" A safe answer to this puzzling speech eluded him.

"Or maybe my personality is simply flawed after too long as a drone. I may never fully embrace humanity again."

Chakotay frowned, disturbed and baffled by the turn of the conversation. "I don't believe that."

"The fact is, Commander," she said, turning an icy glare at him, "that I will not be like everyone on this ship because I am not like them. I am neither entirely human nor Borg. I may have grown up in Unimatrix Zero, but I can't remember it. The Captain thinks I can learn from my time there, but it is impossible to learn from something you do not remember. I will never be perfectly human no matter how much you, the Captain, or the Doctor push me to."

"At ease, Seven. I didn't mean to upset you." Chakotay frowned as Seven resolutely turned her back on him, ignoring his presence in favour of the commands she practically hammered into the computer. The sudden turn in their conversation had completely blindsided him. He recognized her stiff posture as a dismissal. Normally, he would have left her to herself, but that option didn't sit quite right this time. Swallowing his desire to avoid confrontation with the angry ex-drone, Chakotay instead moved closer. "Seven?"

She remained silent, pressing buttons with a fierceness that would have sent a lesser man running.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to insult you or push you to do anything, Seven. I know you won't be just like everyone else. How could you and why should you be?"

"Indeed. I will be insufficient for the rest of my life."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. You're far from insufficient." He sighed. "Seven, where is this coming from?"

"Nothing." She sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Commander." Regardless of the catharsis of her outburst, Seven now felt ashamed. She'd known she would regret saying what she did, but she'd said it anyway.

"It's not nothing. Seven, what's bothering you? You know I didn't mean to imply you're a disappointment, don't you?" He stepped closer, invading her personal space a little to force her to acknowledge his question. She was more stubborn than he was, remaining silent until he spoke again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

Seven nodded, but a lump in her throat prevented her from answering.

"Seven," he placed a hand on her arm in a daring gamble it wouldn't be torn from its socket, "I can't deny I once thought you'd fail to fit in. I thought you'd betray us the first chance you got, probably would kill us if the opportunity came up."

"You are wise."

"No, I _was_ wrong. It's been a long time since I believed any of that. Even if you don't always fit in with social convention, I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing." He smiled a little tentatively. "I've been known to push back against expectations myself."

"You are speaking about joining the Maquis or in general?" Despite herself, she felt the rest of her anger leave. His easy temper was difficult to antagonize and just as difficult to stay mad at. Besides, she wasn't angry with him so much as upset at her situation. He just happened to be there at the wrong time.

Chakotay chuckled. "Both, but I was a bit of a pain in my father's butt long before I joined a rebellion." He smiled at her, thinking of the times she'd gone out of her way to help Voyager, of the odd friendships she'd formed, and the way she both amused and exasperated him. "I'm glad I was wrong about you."

"Some would still argue that you weren't wrong. I might not have personally tried to assimilate Voyager, but it seems few others have put this ship in as much danger for so little reward."

Chakotay sighed in relief. "Is that what's bothering you? You think you put this ship at risk?"

Seven looked away. "Partially. I did put the ship in danger and have done so on several occasions."

"Seven, it was our choice to help the people in Unimatrix Zero. Quite frankly, I'm glad it worked out as well as it did. I don't know about you, but I'm happy to strike a blow against the Collective any day."

"Then you do not blame me for Lieutenant Torres' discomfort, or Captain Janeway's or Tuvok's?"

Chakotay shook his head. "No, and neither do they. They volunteered to go and they knew the risks. Seven, you have nothing to feel guilty about. B'Elanna doesn't blame you either," he said quickly, worrying B'Elanna's abrasive demeanor might have led Seven to the wrong impression.

Seven dipped her head, undeniably comforted by the Commander's words. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Satisfied he could go with the air clear between them, Chakotay gave her arm a final pat and moved to leave. The doors slid open, but he hesitated. "Since Tuvok is still under the weather, he asked me to take over his hiking group for the next little while. Would you and the kids like to join us? I think you would have a good time showing us all up."

Seven was about to explain that her Borg physiology gave her superior cardiovascular strength, which was hardly anything to brag about, but she turned enough to see the teasing smirk on his face. Given the kindness he'd just shown her, it seemed petty and ill-tempered to turn down his invitation. She gave a hesitant nod.

"Good. I'm looking forward to it." He smiled in real pleasure, his eyes crinkling as Seven's rosy lips turned up in response.


	4. Chapter 4

**My Confession**

Seven was prompt as usual and accompanied by the Borg children.

Chakotay smiled. He'd made sure to be there before her predictably punctual arrival. Seven likewise greeted him with a slight smile and nod.

"Commander." Icheb, always polite and cognizant of Starfleet protocols practically stood at attention.

"Icheb, how are you?" Chakotay smiled at Mezoti and the twins, but their attention waned after a perfunctory greeting. They were occupied with reaching up to review the program's parameters on the wall display.

"I am functioning within normal parameters, thank you, and yourself?"

"Just fine, Icheb."

"Is our attire appropriate?" She wasn't certain what sort of terrain he planned to go over so Seven had to take a chance with footwear. Her tank and leggings, the same clothes she wore when playing velocity with Janeway, would have been good for most hiking climates as she could simply program a holographic coat if the environment was colder than expected. The children were just as simply dressed in light, long-sleeved shirts and pants.

"It'll do just fine. I thought I'd just pick a simple route and temperate environment," he nodded toward the children, "since they haven't been hiking before."

"You may regret making it easier for them." A smirk ghosted across Seven's lips as she eyed the excited youngsters.

Chakotay was about to answer, but they were interrupted by the arrival of the rest of the expectant hikers. As the organizer, Chakotay gave a quick overview of the track, asked if anyone had concerns, and then started the program.

The group, a modest dozen people, entered to find a nondescript forest trail in the thralls of a pleasant spring morning. Birch and maple trees spread their greenery over the sunny forest floor and some budding crocus blooms added vibrant colour in patches here and there. The chatter of squirrels running in the trees and the chirp of birds completed the picture.

As Chakotay predicted, Seven showed superior strengths, but he was surprised to continue finding her at the back of the group. It was not, he soon realized, because she was tired or lagging on her own account.

Whenever he looked back to see where she was – surely there was no need for him to question just why his eyes kept seeking Seven out, it was all completely innocent as he tried to be a good leader – she was quickly spotted trying to usher the Borg children along. They were often distracted by the colourful flowers, the glimpse of an animal behind the flora, or simply involved in chasing and pushing each other through the trees. It was hard not to be amused by their antics.

After an hour, they'd completed the loop and said their farewells to the rest of the tired participants. Chakotay lingered with Seven under the pretense of allowing the children more time to run around. It wasn't much of a lie as only Icheb chose to return to his work and the three youngest were still exploring.

"May I ask you something?" Chakotay had contemplated whether asking her the coming question was wise, but his curiosity won out.

Seven bobbed her head.

"Yesterday you said you were partially upset because you felt guilty."

Seven nodded again, afraid she knew what was coming.

"What was the other reason?"

"Did – The Captain didn't tell you about Axum?"

Chakotay shook his head, surprised by her hesitation. She was usually so forthright and confident. "She said he was the one who contacted you, that he was one of the drones organizing the rebellion."

Seven nodded. "We also had an intimate relationship."

That hit Chakotay by surprise, but he did his best not to show it. With something akin to severe disappointment, he wondered how this unknown man had earned Seven's intimacy over only a few interactions in a dream world.

"I don't remember our time together, but if Unimatrix Zero hadn't been destroyed… I find myself conflicted by the situation."

Ah, of course she meant they'd had a relationship while she was still part of the Collective. Some levelheadedness returned to Chakotay and he felt silly for his initial reaction. Stifling a sigh, he tried to answer as properly as he would any other crewmember. "I'll assume then wherever he is, it's too far for Voyager to communicate with him or else you wouldn't be so upset."

Seven nodded, pleased with his quick understanding. "He is in a remote section of the Beta Quadrant."

Something inside Chakotay purred at the news. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. I'm sorry I was rude yesterday, Commander. I was preoccupied by this knowledge."

"I understand." He really did. Sympathy filled him. "It's not easy to lose someone you care about."

Seven looked at the Commander sharply. "He is not dead."

"No." Still, with the distance, Chakotay rather thought Axum might as well be.

She sighed, her thoughts not that far from his own. "I suppose I understand this crew's desire to return to Earth slightly better now."

Chakotay smiled sadly. "I guess so."

Just then the children burst from the forest to land in front of Seven, all breathing heavily and smiling widely. A few twigs and leaves were caught in Mezoti's hair and some burrs clung to the boys' clothing.

"Are you done?" Seven arched her brow at their appearance. Neither she nor Chakotay were able to suppress their amused smiles.

The children nodded.

With a slight tilt of her head toward the Commander, she reminded the children of their manners.

"Thank you for arranging this social activity," said Mezoti in her usual serious intonation. She was echoed by Rebi and Azan.

"You're very welcome." His smile grew as Seven returned it with one of her own.

"Come, you will need to clean up and change clothes before regenerating." Seven ushered the children out the door where the holographic dirt disappeared. Seven paused to face Chakotay. "Thank you, Commander."

"Any time, Seven." On impulse, he reached out to touch her arm. She stopped. "You know, it might actually help if you spend more time with the crew. There are a lot of people on Voyager who would understand what you're going through."

Seven nodded, but they both knew it was just to placate him. She did the same with the Doctor and Janeway. She wouldn't have shown up for the hike if his invitation hadn't explicitly included the children.

It made Chakotay sad as he watched Mezoti and one of the twins take Seven's hands to return to their cargo bay.

Alone in the holodeck, Chakotay realized her brushoff was saddening for more than just her sake. He liked talking with her, took pride in the few instances she confided in him, and appreciated her dry wit. Though he didn't know to what extent he wanted to continue their off-duty friendship, he was positive he wanted to spend more time with her.

 _You care about her_ , said a little voice. The same voice reminded him about seeing her fighting for her life, how it felt to witness her predicament and the realization he'd come to then. He tried to silence the voice, but it hummed along in the back of his mind regardless.


	5. Chapter 5

**By Special Invitation**

It was difficult to tell who was more surprised when the doors to astrometrics swished open bright and early the next morning to reveal Commander Chakotay: Seven or Icheb.

Icheb practically jumped to attention. He was harboring private ambitions to apply for Starfleet and it was making him hyper aware of those Starfleet officers who held this potential fate in their hands.

Seven, however, merely raised a brow and took up the PADD containing her report. She wondered why he would be so inefficient as to personally collect the intelligences when they could easily be transmitted to the bridge or his office. It wasn't something new, but he was increasing the instances of this practice. She turned back to work as soon as he took it from her.

"Thanks." Chakotay glanced at the PADD, but he wasn't really interested. "The children are with Harry this morning?"

Seven nodded, but it hadn't really been a question. The Commander, as one of the children's regular instructors, knew their schedule as well as she did.

"We will be reconvening in the mess for a snack in an hour," said Icheb. He had somewhat missed the rhetorical nature of the Commander's remark.

"Very good." Chakotay smiled at the young man. "You enjoyed the hike yesterday?"

Icheb dipped his head. "It was a pleasant program."

"Are you planning on joining any more social groups?"

Icheb blinked, momentarily confused. "If you think it advisable, Commander, I will ensure my schedule accommodates more social functions."

Chakotay chuckled. "It's always good to make room for things you enjoy, Icheb, but I didn't mean to imply you need to change your routine if you don't want to."

Mollified, Icheb nodded, but there was now an awkwardness he could only attribute to the obvious fact that the Commander wished to speak to Seven, perhaps even wished Icheb gone to do so. He was not an unobservant person by any means and it had finally struck him just how often during this short interaction Commander Chakotay's eyes moved and lingered on Seven of Nine. Icheb had often noted that when in conversation, the Commander gave the speaker his full attention. It was a social nicety not everyone followed, which made his steadfast adherence to this polite gesture all the more appreciated, and it made his present deviation just that much more noticeable. In an attempt to give the Commander somewhat of the privacy he seemed to want, Icheb deliberately moved to a console at the far end of the lab, but he could not tune out the rest of the interaction.

"And you, Seven, any plans to continue with Tom's game nights or the hiking club?"

"I will think about it." Seven knew it was rude, but she kept her attention on the console, her usual method for discouraging Captain Janeway or the Doctor from pressuring her. She felt a stab of guilt as she heard the Commander sigh, but she was steadfast.

"Well, while you think about it, I come with a particular invitation." Realizing that she wasn't going to help him out at all in this conversation, Chakotay moved to lean against her station. The spot was in her line of sight, specifically chosen to provoke her as it was a distraction she couldn't ignore. He smiled as a slight frown crossed her lips.

"I'm sure I will be busy."

"You haven't even heard what the invitation is, or when it is."

"Commander –"

"Seven." It was mocking.

She sighed. "I do not understand your persistence in this."

"And I don't understand your aversion." His smile faded a little. He lowered his voice, hoping Icheb was ignoring them as well as he appeared to be. "If you really prefer to be alone, that's fine, but some socializing might help take your mind off Unimatrix Zero. That's why I'm persisting. That and because I'd like to think I'm your friend."

"I was unaware our brief social interactions would qualify as a particular friendship." It was a little cruel, but it was true. Besides, she was beginning to panic at this new attention and lashing out was the only way she knew to reassert the status quo with individuals.

"Fine. Then I'd like to rectify that mistake."

"I think most people would believe a lack of interaction with me to be a relief."

He took a deep breath, trying to maintain his good mood despite her stubbornness. "Well, it's not to me. You're actually quite pleasant once you let that Borg defence slip."

Seven's fingers finally stilled on her console as she looked at him. "Commander…"

"It's all right, Seven. Don't decide right away. Just think about it. B'Elanna and I are going to the holodeck tonight for some boxing. You're welcome to join us. 18:00 hours. Holodeck 1."

This time when she nodded, it was an agreement and Chakotay left with a satisfaction he hadn't expected. "Have a good day, Seven. I'll see you tonight."

As soon as the doors slid shut, Icheb returned to Seven's side. "I am unfamiliar with human dating rituals. Is a third party's presence normal?"

Seven's eyes widened. "Are you planning to ask someone on a date?"

"I was referring to you and the Commander."

Seven smiled, amused at the thought. "We are not dating. I have learned that on a ship this small social activities are often engaged in without any expectation of forming intimate relationships."

"But the Commander specifically asked you to go to the holodeck with him and he was very persistent. Isn't that a sign of wanting to form a more intimate relationship?"

"He no doubt also asked Lieutenant Torres as well, but she is clearly in a monogamous relationship with Lieutenant Paris."

"His eyes also remained on you for approximately 80% of the time he was here."

This required Seven to stretch a little for an explanation. "Likely due to the reason for his visit."

"He didn't say goodbye to _me_."

"Did he hurt your feelings?"

"No, but I believe rudeness towards others is the first sign of attraction between individuals."

"And what does trying to eject someone through an airlock indicate?"

"In this case?"

They each turned back to work, smirking at the other's stubbornness.

[Mess Hall]

Icheb, still holding strong to his theories about the Commander's intentions, offered to watch the younger children while Seven was out. She suggested some simple art projects, a pastime even Icheb begrudgingly enjoyed.

With some time before she had to meet the Commander and Lieutenant Torres, Seven had dinner in the mess with the children. She found no fault with the general meal Neelix prepared for the crew, but she had to pretend not to see the way he snuck them each a cookie when he thought she wasn't looking. Icheb offered her half of his, but she declined.

Chakotay spotted the group of former Borgs as soon as he entered the mess. He grabbed a plate and headed in their direction. There was no room for him to sit, but he wanted to say hello just the same. Like their guardian, he found the children were often unintentionally amusing.

"Commander." Icheb, acknowledged his commanding officer's presence first.

Seven gave him a slight nod, quickly returning her attention to the remnants of her meal. A faint blush faded after a moment.

"Fuelling up?"

Rebi answered, looking at Chakotay as though he were missing the obvious. "Yes, Commander. Consumption of nutrients is required on a regular basis to maintain biologic integrity."

"Of course. How silly of me."

"But cookies do not contain many nutritional qualities," said Mezoti, her childish face serious and challenging. Rebi frowned at her. "They're unhealthy and frivolous, right Seven?"

Seven smiled, amused since Mezoti had all but inhaled her own dessert with the same gusto as Rebi and Azan. "Yes, but they are also an important part of an individual's youth."

"Oh." She smiled happily at this information and continued eating her dinner.

Chakotay chuckled, turning to Seven. "I'll see you in an hour?"

Seven nodded.

As Chakotay found a seat a few tables away, Icheb glanced from one to the other with confused amusement. He thought it was painfully obvious they liked each other. It was a sudden and unexpected turn in their relationship to go from strictly professional to this dance around budding interest, but Icheb saw no reason for them not to pursue it. That they both appeared unaware of each other's feelings and even their own confused Icheb. He concluded that he didn't understand human mating rituals and doubted he ever would.

It was soon time for Seven to change. She stood and bid the children goodnight in the event they were regenerating by the time she was back. As they were busy asking Icheb what they were going to do that evening, Seven's disappearance was little more than a brief interruption in their attention.

The time between her changing and getting to the holodeck seemed to go both too fast and too slow, resulting in her arrival a minute later than anticipated.

Commander Chakotay was already there, putting commands into the wall display outside. He looked up to see who was approaching.

His face broke into a wide smile, the sight of which made Seven inexplicably miss a step, her heart likewise giving a quicker beat.

"Seven, glad you made it."

"Commander." She nodded, but couldn't think of anything to say that would adequately sum up her confused feelings at that moment and the usual small talk she so disliked felt inadequate.

Done programming, he turned to her fully. "Seven, I've been meaning to suggest something."

She quirked her head.

"Everyone calls me Chakotay… at least when we're off duty."

"This is a practice you wish me to adopt as well?"

Chakotay contemplated saying that it was her choice, that he wanted her to want to call him by his name, but that was all too complicated. "Yes, I do."

"I will comply, sir."

He would have explained that it wasn't an order, but her teasing smile left him without anything to say and somewhat struck by the moment. "You got me."

Seven smiled, pleased with herself.

And just like that, Chakotay was hooked. "I'll get you back for that."

"Do you possess skills I've yet to see?"

"Ouch." He laughed, enjoying their verbal game. When he stopped, she was smiling at him in a mild, teasing way that he'd never seen before. "You know, Seven, I—"

"Hey, you guys ready? Sorry I'm late. I had a meeting with the Captain." B'Elanna appeared in her gym gear, stopping Chakotay.

It was a timely interruption as Chakotay realized he might have been about to cross a line he didn't know had been drawn. It was all well and good to feel a little attraction, but to even think about acting on it was something else entirely.

 _What am I doing?_

Seven nodded right away and stepped inside, but Chakotay took a quick moment to compose himself, taking a deep breath and reminding himself of some fundamental facts: Seven was the Captain's protégé, Seven was definitely off limits, Seven was definitely not his type, Seven would probably laugh in his face or punch him if he ever did show his interest, and Seven was the most complicated person to become romantically interested in.

His gaze, usually so disciplined and respectful, wandered down to Seven's posterior as she walked.

 _Off limits._ He had to keep reminding himself of that. _Not my type._

"So, Seven, have you boxed before?" B'Elanna stood next to a set of benches, already wrapping up her hands with a pair of gloves next her.

"No." She eyed B'Elanna's hands as they were swiftly hidden beneath the red gloves.

"Too crude for the Borg?" It was said without her usual fire, her excitement for the coming activity making her cheerful.

"Self-defence techniques are useful," she conceded, "but it has not been a hobby I've attempted." She rarely used the holodeck on her own, her work or watching the children consuming her unless someone invited her so they could have a partner in their chosen program.

"Well, don't worry. Boothby is programmed in here somewhere. He's a pain in the butt, but he'll teach you everything you need to know."

Chakotay, who listened as he too wrapped his knuckles in white tape, acted rather than thought about his next decision.

 _Still off limits…_

"We don't need Boothby. B'Elanna why don't you start sparring. I'll get Seven started." In his hurry to enact his sudden desire, he spoke more intensely than intended.

"Sure." B'Elanna walked off, looking back with a raised brow as Chakotay moved closer to Seven. She'd never seen him so eager to spend time with the former drone. It would have been perplexing if B'Elanna weren't able to put two and two together so quickly.

"We'll start by wrapping your hands." He handed her the tape, trusting that she'd watched carefully enough to do it herself. His instinct to not micromanage was correct and she was soon ready.

"Commander, if you prefer to spar, the holographic instructor will be sufficient for me."

"Chakotay," he corrected, "and I want to. Come on, we'll use the punching bags before we go into the actual sparring."

Seven was not inexperienced with hand-to-hand combat, still perfectly able to remember her training from the Tsunkatse fights. However, there was a big difference between the two fighting styles and any desire she'd felt to practice her unsought lessons after being rescued by Voyager had been outweighed by her disgust for the gladiator battles. She found that distaste return to her as she followed Chakotay past the sparring ring to the punching bags and other practice equipment.

"We can spar after we go over the basics," said Chakotay, noticing her glance to the ring where B'Elanna fought a large human male. His words, however, had the opposite effect from what he expected. Seven frowned, stiffening just a bit at this statement. "Is something wrong?"

"The last time I participated in combat 'for fun' was on Norcadia."

Chakotay blanched, not having considered the trauma of being forced to fight to the death. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think…"

"It is all right, Commander. I didn't think of it until now either. It was a long time ago. If sparring is required to properly participate in this program, then I will comply."

Rather than take comfort from this, Chakotay realized her lapse into such a formal speech, along with the stiff squaring of her shoulders was indicative of how affected she really was. She was putting up walls, taking refuge in her Borg detachment again.

B'Elanna ducked a few swings and aimed her own punches, hitting well.

"If you don't want to spar, you don't have to." He cheered a little. "I'm sure I can come up with enough to show you to keep us busy and out of the ring."

"Commander –"

"Chakotay."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'd rather not force you to give up your time. This is, after all, your holodeck time."

He sighed deeply and decided to be honest. "Are you ever going to believe that I'm not offering my help because I have to but because I want to?"

Seven could think of no answer.

"Come on." Chakotay smiled and nodded to two punching bags hanging together. "I know a little kickboxing too. I think you'd like that."

"It was my favourite part of working in engineering."

Chakotay's surprised laugh caught them both off guard. "Should we be putting martial arts combat on the list of requirements for engineering recruits?"

"If Lieutenant Torres is expected to be their supervisor."

Chakotay continued to chuckle. "I'll make a note of it."

Seven smiled a bit easier this time.

 _Not my type._ It sounded like a ridiculous lie even in his head.

[Cargo Bay Two]

Icheb was regenerating by the time Seven returned to the cargo bay herself so it wasn't until the next morning that he was able to ask her with a smirk, "How was your time with Commander Chakotay?"

"Boxing is good exercise. It was a pleasant evening."

"Do you have plans to see him tonight?"

Seven frowned at him, but any reply was interrupted by Mezoti, Rebi, and Azan exiting the refresher and standing at attention in front of them. She turned her attention to inspecting their grooming. Finding them acceptable, Seven led the way to the mess.

As though he planned to give credence to Icheb's remarks, Commander Chakotay met them just outside the mess. He greeted them all politely, smiling in particular at Seven, who tried to be both polite and cold. It wasn't so easy, making her stiff nod and half smile look rather forced.

"Would you care to sit together?" Chakotay gestured to a table.

"A good idea, Commander," said Icheb, quickly preventing Seven from declining as he knew she was ready to do. He led the three youngsters to their chairs and then to the counter to pick up their breakfasts.

As Icheb took over, Chakotay touched Seven's arm to hold her back out of earshot of the children. He was confused by the cold greeting. It was a shocking difference from the tired, but friendly goodnight's they'd exchanged outside the holodeck. All three adults had left the program with smiles. Now she could barely look at him. "Hey, is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, Commander."

He almost smiled at that. "Seven, any time a woman says she's 'fine', it means she's just the opposite. Did I do something wrong?" Realizing he still held her arm, he let go and leaned back so he wasn't invading her space so much.

Seven shifted guiltily. "No, Commander. I apologize."

"Don't apologize, tell me what's wrong. I'll order you if I have to."

Seven smiled a little at the empty threat. "Nothing. I am merely thinking too much about something Icheb said." She sighed, straightening and taking some refuge in her usual stoicism. "It's irrelevant."

"All right. Keep your little secrets."

"Seven," Mezoti ran up and grabbed her hand, "can we play with Naomi this afternoon? She's going to the holodeck with Neelix."

"I will speak with Neelix," she said with a nod. This, however, wasn't enough for Mezoti, who pulled her hand until Seven was dragged to the kitchen. Chakotay followed, smiling with amusement at the sight. It was adorable.

"Neelix," Mezoti called to the busy Talaxian.

"Ah, Seven! Commander! How are you two on this fine morning?"

"Just fine Neelix, how are you?" Chakotay leaned against the counter. Neelix quickly gave him a plate of omelette and fruit. He took it and found his seat.

"So, are the children joining me and Naomi tonight?" He glanced down at Mezoti's expectant face.

Seven nodded. "If that is acceptable to you."

"Oh, of course! I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

"Do you require assistance supervising them?"

Neelix shook his head, handing her a plate identical to what he'd served Chakotay. "No, we should be fine. You enjoy your evening. I'm sure you could use some personal time."

"Then we will meet you at the holodeck."

Mezoti rushed back to the table, spreading her good news.

Seven sat down, sparing Icheb an exasperated frown; the only seat left was coincidentally next to Commander Chakotay. Icheb was suddenly too absorbed in eating to look at her.

Since he assumed Seven would be supervising the children in the holodeck, Chakotay satisfied himself with the thought that he could coerce her into attending Tom's next game night at least.

[Corridor]

The day had been long and Chakotay was glad it was over. He was looking forward to a quiet meal and evening alone. Maybe he would start a new book from Voyager's database.

He was walking along the corridor past the holodecks when he was greeted by Neelix.

"Commander!" The Talaxian was just outside the open doors of the holodeck, clearly about to go inside.

"Neelix." He glanced around, but the only other people in sight were the children, who were already inside. "Where's Seven?"

"Oh, I don't know. I would expect either the cargo bay or astrometrics." Neelix's confusion turned to suspicion. "Why? Did you expect her to be here?"

Gathering himself and trying to look unconcerned, Chakotay smiled and shook his head. "No, no, I just assumed she would be helping you supervise."

"Ah," Neelix nodded slowly. "Yes, of course. Well, I thought it would be nice for her to have some time to herself. It's not easy being the guardian of four youngsters, you know!"

"No, of course not. That was very thoughtful."

"Yes, well, speaking of which, I'd better get in there. Good night, Commander."

"Good night, Neelix."

Distracted with his options and uncertain what he ought to do, Chakotay walked with slow steps, not really sure where he was going.

 _I could ask her to have dinner with me._

 _She's off limits. You know that._

 _Friends. We're just friends. It would just be between friends._

 _Who are you trying to fool?_

 _She's not my type anyway._

 _Liar. She's strong and smart, loyal, compassionate…_

 _Axum. She's still thinking about him._

 _Doesn't mean she can't start thinking about someone else._ Axum was, after all, well out of reach.

 _Off limits._

 _Why?_

This brought his internal dialogue up short. She _was_ his type. She was teasing without being coy, loyal without being a blind follower, intelligent and proud without being prejudiced, and she had a dry sense of humour that made him laugh.

Unbidden, a memory of Seska popped into his head. He felt cold. She had been his type as well… or he'd thought so for a long time. He'd never been more wrong about a person. The self-protecting part of his mind dredged up cautionary memories of Seska, which made him feel worse and worse and yet…

 _Seven's not like Seska. She couldn't be if she tried._ Despite them both being stubborn and strong, there were no amazing similarities. Where Seska was manipulative, Seven was forthright. Seska had always played games, which made her exciting at first. Seven was hard to get, but she played at nothing. Seska would do whatever it took to further her own interests. Seven thought about Voyager first and herself last.

Without realizing it, he began to smile.

As for her being off limits, there was really no rule he'd be breaking. He was a little older than her, it was true, but he wasn't exactly robbing the cradle and if she didn't mind, then who cared? She was still somewhat new to her human individuality, but unlike the Doctor and Janeway, he saw her quirks more as an independent and often stubborn personality. True, she'd needed some tweaking initially to think outside the Collective's cookie cutter brainwashing, but besides that he saw a lot of her traits as her own.

 _She's Kathryn's protégé._

Indeed, this was the one point he had the most trouble getting around. He cringed to think of Captain Kathryn Janeway's reaction if she found out.

 _Why am I overthinking this?_ He hadn't even asked Seven out. She'd only barely agreed to join in on group excursions. For all he knew, his worry was a moot point and she'd turn down any romantic overtures. She was a difficult person to read sometimes and he really didn't want to try to guess what her thoughts were on this. General rumour was that she and the Doctor had something going. For all he knew, it could be true.

 _Only one way to find out._

"Computer." The customary beep acknowledged his command. "Where is Seven of Nine?"

"Seven of Nine is in astrometrics."

His stride became more confident, but they didn't head right to the lab.


	6. Chapter 6

**Dinners and Fates**

Seven was surprised enough by the appearance of Commander Chakotay striding into astrometrics with a bag to fully turn from her work. "Commander, what can I do for you?"

"Actually, I'm here to do something for you." He set the bag down on the stairs leading to the viewing platform. "Am I correct in assuming you haven't had dinner yet?"

"You are correct."

"And you probably haven't taken a break all day."

"Correct again, Commander." She felt a blush creep up her cheeks at his attention.

"Then I'm here to order you to break for dinner. I even brought it with me to make it easy."

Seven hesitated.

"Come on, Seven, you must be hungry. Indulge me?"

It was impossible to not be affected by his attentions. No matter what she told Icheb, she was increasingly intrigued and attracted to Commander Chakotay. With more difficulty, she was gradually beginning to believe he felt the same… Not that she could tell Icheb he was right or she'd never live it down.

She nodded, following his example by moving to sit on the stairs. She watched him take out several containers and a few pieces of fruit. Done, he leaned back, making himself as comfortable as he could.

"So, how are your data filter enhancements going?"

Seven, surprised by his choice of topic, blinked.

Chakotay almost laughed out loud at her expression. "I do read the morning reports, Seven. Maybe not always as thoroughly as I should, but I get the gist at least."

"I didn't doubt you. As for your question, they will be complete tomorrow afternoon." She smirked. "Unfortunately, they will not result in fewer reports for you to read."

He chuckled. "You're heartless."

"I'll have the Doctor check that tomorrow."

"Weekly checkup?"

Seven nodded. "08:00 hours."

"I thought the Doctor had a tee time tomorrow morning."

"I believe he scheduled it for 06:00 hours."

"Ah." For a few minutes, they worked their way through the salad and casserole, falling into an amiable silence.

"Commander, why did you do this?" She gestured to the containers around them, but meant more than just that night's meal. Though Icheb thought Commander Chakotay's intentions were romantic and even Seven was beginning to feel so, she didn't like to guess. Guessing usually led to social faux pas for her.

"Chakotay," he reminded her. "Because I've enjoyed spending time with you."

"Oh."

"And…" He hesitated, but it was too late to stop now. She was looking at him expectantly. "And I was thinking it might be nice to continue spending more time together." He grimaced at his own awkwardness, but, true to form, Seven didn't comment on it, probably didn't even notice.

"Dating?"

He nodded, holding his breath.

"I would enjoy that."

"If you'd rather not, I'll understand."

Seven shook her head. He was not exactly like Axum and this was not like the fog of memories she had of Unimatrix Zero, but that was okay and somehow made it better. The unknown in this remarkable instance made her excited, not afraid. It was unexpected and it was real. Besides, she trusted the Commander. "I have enjoyed your company as well. You are an intriguing individual."

"Well, good. I feel the same way about you." Smiling a little at her phrasing, Chakotay relaxed back into his seat and they finished their meal, trying to make their conversation normal. It wasn't easy. Each of them was buzzing inside.

[Mess Hall]

Seven was notoriously elusive when it came to social events so Chakotay felt a little apprehension despite their enlightening conversation. There was no telling if she would get cold feet and back out. With that in mind, he thought of something for them to do together and he thought it up quick.

Neelix was, as usual, busy the next morning making the common breakfast fare and considering what he might organize for lunch and dinner. Usually he had everything planned out for the week, but if the resources existed for him to be creative with his plans, then nothing made him happier than to add and tinker with his own recipes and options. They had the resources and as a result, Neelix was happily humming as he contemplated added various peppers and spices to the meals.

"Ah, Commander, you're a little earlier than normal for breakfast." Neelix smiled, his infectious smile. He really was pleased that day to have free reign over Voyagers food stores.

"I wanted to ask if you're still planning to start up a cooking class."

"Oh," Neelix's eyebrows rose in surprise at this question. "I am, but I've been so busy that I don't have anything ready just yet."

"I see." That was a disappointment. Chakotay thought Seven would enjoy a cooking class. It would have been a perfect first date.

"But I'll be sure to tell you as soon as I get something organized."

"Thanks." Forcing a smile, Chakotay grabbed a piece of fruit and sat down with a cup of tea, fretting over what else to do for a date. He had never liked or been very good at traditional dating, a problem compounded by the fact that his dating had never been traditional. Even at Starfleet Academy his few girlfriends had been only flings or strong women who dragged him along on excursions that were more adventures than romances.

"Commander Chakotay."

Chakotay jumped a bit, not having heard Icheb approach. "Oh, good morning. Why don't you join me?"

Icheb sat. "May I ask you something?"

Chakotay swallowed hard. Did Icheb already know about his interest in Seven? How was he going to explain it to the young man? "Sure."

"I understand you joined Starfleet, but then joined the Maquis."

"That's right." Internally he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you glad you joined Starfleet when you did?"

"I haven't really thought about it."

"But if you had not joined Starfleet when you did, you would have been at a disadvantage when Voyager and your ship were brought to the Delta Quadrant."

"Yes, I suppose so. I was always glad I went to the Academy. I wouldn't have survived in the Maquis if I hadn't. Honestly," some old bitterness crept into his heart, but he pushed it away, "I would probably have died with my father and the rest of the colonists when the Cardassians attacked if I hadn't been with Starfleet."

"But you believe the knowledge and training you received was beneficial to your survival outside the unique circumstances?"

"Yes. No matter what else anyone might think of the organization, it is the best training you could ever hope for if you're interested in serving on a ship, especially a scientific and exploratory vessel. Why?"

"I am conducting research."

"Research for what?"

Icheb, unaccustomed to lying and not ready to admit his intention to apply for Starfleet, was grateful at that moment to have a distraction enter. The doors behind Commander Chakotay slid open to reveal four individuals. "Seven."

"Seven?" Chakotay, with his back to the doors, wondered what Seven had to do with these questions.

"Yes, Commander?"

For the second time that morning Chakotay jumped. "Seven!"

Polite enough to hide her smile at Commander Chakotay's surprise, Seven merely raised a brow at Icheb.

"I had some extracurricular activities to complete prior to breakfast," said Icheb to explain his absence when the others woke from regeneration. The nice thing about being a teenager under Seven's guardianship was that she didn't ask too many questions unless she felt it necessary. He could tell by her slight frown that she wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer, but she allowed him his privacy.

"Would you like to join me?" Chakotay gestured to the empty seats around him hopefully. He wasn't disappointed as Seven almost immediately nodded.

She turned to first help the children get their breakfasts, but Icheb stood.

"I will assist."

"Thank you, Icheb." Previously she had found his interference irritating, but now it was a definite benefit. It left her and the Commander alone, something she knew would be rare.

"I have to confess something." Chakotay leaned closer so they wouldn't be overheard. Seven inclined her head to indicate she was listening. "I don't know what to suggest for a first date."

Unable to help it, Seven smiled at this confession. Simple as it was, it made her feel better since the only things she could think of were what she remembered from the Doctor's lessons. That he was already planning a date made her heart thump with pleasant irregularity.

"What do you think of Sandrine's?"

Seven shook her head before she really even thought about it. It was the scene of the first and rather impressively disastrous only date of her life. It should have been irrelevant, but she knew being again at the scene of her humiliation would not bode well for them.

"Ever been to Montreal?"

"I have not." She thought a moment. "I believe the city is well known for its cuisine."

"Yes, they—"

"Senior officers to the briefing room." Janeway's voice interrupted over the comm.

They stood, Seven signalling to Icheb that he would be responsible for herding the others to their classes. Icheb nodded.

Chakotay waited until they were in the relative privacy of the turbolift before again broaching the subject of greatest interest to him. "So, Montreal."

"Dinner and sightseeing?"

"Sounds like a plan. You're free tomorrow night, aren't you?" It was asked more out of politeness since he knew the duty roster practically by heart.

"Yes." Seven blushed at his clear eagerness, her own anticipation of the event increasing the more she spent in his company. "That is acceptable. What time do you suggest?"

"I happen to have holodeck time for 17:00 hours."

"I will organize the dinner."

"It's a date." He smiled, gratified to see his happiness mirrored on her lovely face. In that moment, he knew without a doubt that they were right to pursue this. He didn't know how it would all work out, but he knew it would and that it would be a defining choice in his life.

The turbolift doors opened and they quickly made their way to the briefing room. Neither of them were usually the first ones to arrive, but they almost were that morning… except for Captain Janeway.

"Good morning." Cheerful and oblivious to what she had interrupted, Captain Janeway sipped her morning coffee and waited with excitement for the rest of her senior staff. On the PADD in front of her sat the night watch's reports, which contained news good enough for her to rouse a few people earlier than normal.

"Good morning." Chakotay sat in his usual spot at Janeway's right side, Seven across from him. He eyed the PADD, trying not to think too hard about Seven or their conversation, not with Kathryn next to him.

Janeway slid the PADD to Chakotay for him to peruse while they waited for the others to arrive.

"Dilithium?" Chakotay looked back at the PADD at Janeway's nod. "This much in one deposit?"

"It's promising and preliminary scans of the planet suggest extensive flora. We might be able to collect enough to keep us going for a few months."

"Is there any suggestion the area is claimed?" Seven eyed the PADD. The area had not been extensively explored by the Borg or those assimilated during the time of Seven's existence in the Collective.

"Nothing so far. Everything's been pretty sparse for awhile now."

Seven nodded. It was true. They had not interacted with any other species for almost a month. If anyone had ever inhabited the area, they were long gone and even the Borg did not know of them.

In only a few minutes the room filled and Captain Janeway explained the findings made by the night crew. Her excitement proved infectious.

"Months of full stores?" B'Elanna didn't need any follow up to such an incredulous statement.

"This suggests two deposits in the system," Harry pointed out. "Would we roll the dice on which one to mine first or…"

"This won't be any two-day enterprise," said B'Elanna. "If these readings are accurate, we'll need a full week to get what we want from both planets."

"Yes, which is why I was going to suggest Commander Chakotay take an away team to the secondary deposit and collect what he can while Voyager mines the richer planet."

Chakotay gave a quick nod at this proposed plan, but sighed to himself. According to the information on the PADD, they'd arrive at the first planet late the next day, which meant his date with Seven would likely be postponed.

Tasks were assigned, timelines decided on and away team members were chosen by Janeway, who failed to notice Seven and Chakotay glance at each other when she recommended Seven be part of the small team. At their dismissal, they all dispersed, but Chakotay took the opportunity to follow Seven to astrometrics under the pretense of planning their mission.

Alone in the turbolift, Seven could neither miss nor ignore the definite tension in Chakotay's frame. Despite the good news of finding such a rich deposit of resources, he seemed upset and she knew why. Missing their date was a disappointment to her too, but she thought she knew a way to rectify that.

"I'm sorry about the bad timing," said Chakotay. He faced her to say more, but she cut him off.

"I conducted some research last night."

"Research?"

Seven nodded. "A common problem for new couples is that they place too much pressure on themselves."

"Do you think we're doing that?" Given that their interactions so far had been remarkably pleasant and casual, Chakotay wasn't so sure about her theory.

"You are overthinking, placing too much pressure on a single event. We both need to consume nutrition this evening."

"Yes." He wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"If we have dinner together in the mess, would that not count as a date?"

Chakotay began smiling in surprised pleasure. "You want to move up our date?"

"I don't see why we can't." She blushed a little. "It is that or we can wait until after we return to Voyager."

"The mess tonight it is then."

"Good."

The turbolift doors opened and they made their way to astrometrics. It was empty as Icheb was in one of his classes and only Seven was scheduled to work in the lab that morning.

"However, there is something we should discuss first," Seven said once the doors closed safely behind them.

"What's that?"

"It is against regulations for couples to be on away missions together. Should we suggest a replacement for one of us or advise the Captain?"

Chakotay thought about it and though he knew he'd probably get his hand slapped if anyone found out, his desire to spend time with Seven won out. "No, it's not as though we've been dating for months. Besides, do you want to stay on Voyager?"

She smiled at him. "No, I would prefer to participate in this mission."

"Is it just the opportunity to mine dilithium that has you so eager to go?" He leaned against the console, his grin widening when her own smile turned teasing.

"No."

He shifted a little closer. "Oh? What is it you're so interested in then?"

"Preventing Neelix from collecting more leola root."

Laughing, Chakotay had to concede that was a very good reason for her to go. Their team would actually include the Talaxian for the specified reason of collecting what he could for their food stores. If Seven could run her scans and keep an eye on him, she would more than earn her place.


	7. Chapter 7

**Date Number One**

"Why I'll be…" Neelix had seen some interesting things in his self-appointed position of morale officer on Voyager. The list of bad situations they'd run into and alien species they'd met was too long for him to account for off the top of his head. He'd also witnessed small things like Naomi growing up, Tom and B'Elanna falling in love, and all the subtle changes in the crew as they settled into their life together. Yes, Neelix had seen a lot, but this one really surprised and gladdened him.

Tucked in a corner of the mess long after the evening rush sat Seven and Chakotay. Normally this wouldn't have caught Neelix's attention, but there was something different in the way they looked and acted together this time. Neelix wasn't entirely sure he would have noticed if the rush hadn't been over and he hadn't looked up from chopping vegetables in time to glimpse the brush of Chakotay's hand on Seven's.

They were too far away for Neelix to hear their conversation, but he watched as Seven said something and Chakotay smiled widely in response. The Commander's eyes hardly left Seven's face, which seemed to be rosy with a blush. It was a tender and endearing moment to witness and Neelix puffed up, smiling to himself with pride in both of them as he returned to slicing peppers for the next morning. He hoped dearly they would continue whatever relationship they had clearly started. He admired both of them greatly and his own social nature had often mourned that they were like little islands unto themselves despite being surrounded by the rest of the crew.

Initially oblivious to the couple in the corner, B'Elanna and Tom chose that moment to enter for a late dinner. Tom leaned over the counter. "Good evening, Neelix."

"Oh, hi Tom. Hi B'Elanna. What can I get you?"

Confused by his distraction, the duo looked over to where Neelix's eyes had previously been fixated. Tom, always quick to sniff out gossip perked up with interest at the sight. "Well hello."

"What are they doing having dinner together?" B'Elanna had to blink a few times to prove it wasn't a trick of the light.

"Oh," Neelix thought quickly, "they're talking about the mission. I'm going with them you know so they came down here so I could help."

"Well, then they won't mind some company." Tom grinned and headed over, leaving Neelix to sigh and hope his little lie wouldn't be found out.

"Good evening, Commander. Seven." Without asking, Tom took out a chair and sat. B'Elanna followed, but with hesitancy. Chakotay was still her friend after all and she didn't want to cause him trouble.

"Tom. B'Elanna." Chakotay forced a welcoming smile, but inside he was seething. It had to be Tom Paris who saw them having dinner together. Seven, of course, didn't appear phased. She nodded to them as usual.

"So," Tom eyed them, "what brings you down to the mess at this hour?"

Seven, who had in fact heard his interaction with Neelix thanks to her Borg hearing, held up a PADD she'd brought just for this purpose. She wasn't stupid. Having dinner in the mess with her commanding officer would require a cover story if they wanted their fledgling interest in each other to remain private.

"That's—"

"We were reviewing plans for retrieving the dilithium and obtaining biological and geophysical samples."

"Oh."

Chakotay was smiling for real now.

"Would you care to assist?" Seven's serious expression betrayed nothing.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude." Tom stood and ushered B'Elanna with him, not eager to sit through such a conversation. "We were just going to grab a quick bite and go to bed actually."

"If you're certain…"

"Yeah, you two have fun with that."

"Goodnight Lieutenant Paris, Lieutenant Torres." Seven bobbed her head politely and Chakotay waved, trying to contain his mirth as Tom all but ran, dragging B'Elanna with him.

"You know," said Chakotay when they were out of earshot, "I don't know if I should be relieved or a little insulted that they would so easily abandon me."

"It is a good thing I am not a hostile invader."

"Not this time. What happens when Voyager gets boarded?"

"Then I will protect you."

"Excellent. I'll do my best not to scream too much."

A small laugh escaped her. She glanced up and was startled to see Chakotay smiling at her with a tenderness she couldn't remember ever seeing before. "What?"

He wanted to point out that it was the first time he'd heard her laugh, but he just placed his hand on hers, leaving it there as she blushed and smiled. "Nothing. I'm just glad we did this."

[Shuttle]

Voyager arrived at the flourishing and green planet in the single star system without any trouble and less than an hour later, Chakotay's team headed out for the second planet, which was following an orbit only slightly closer to the star.

No signs that the area had been touched made it a remarkable find, but Voyager's crew had too many bad experiences to take it for granted that they were alone.

Tuvok and Icheb ran continuous scans on Voyager, keeping an eye out for signs of advanced life or approaching ships.

Seven did the same from her spot on a shuttle with Ensign Kim, Commander Chakotay, Neelix, and Lieutenant Joseph Carey.

The second planet proved just as verdant as the first, sporting a warmer climate in general. They landed in a clearing on a rocky plateau above the canopy and managed to set up the basic tools for their mining efforts before they settled in for sleep on the shuttle.

[Alien Planet]

The days settled into a rhythm pretty quickly with mining and exploration. Carey and Harry primarily supervised the mining with Chakotay and Seven assisting. Seven set up the ship's scanners to run while they worked and alert her to the slightest anomaly.

Neelix's job was almost solely to explore the flora and fauna, but since he couldn't go out alone, Seven and Chakotay took turns going with him. It was all so calm and mundane that it was almost boring.

On day three it was Chakotay's turn to help with the mining so Seven joined Neelix on his daily hike through the jungle. Since her normal shoes were inappropriate for hiking in the humid terrain, she was forced to adapt.

Luckily, she had predicted the need for a change in wardrobe and packed accordingly. Leggings and long-sleeved shirts designed to keep her both cool and dry along with sturdy hiking shoes were not Starfleet's normal outdoor wear, but she was rather smug when she returned from exploring with Neelix and was still relatively fresh while Chakotay had returned cranky and soaked in sweat.

"So," said Neelix as they crouched over a clump of flowering bulbs by a river, "it's rather warm out today."

"It has been approximately forty degrees every day," Seven replied automatically, distracted by the readings she was getting from the little crocus-like flowers. The bulbs were packed with nutrients and the flowers… she plucked one and tasted it. It was sugary and light. "We should collect these. They will be excellent in Voyager's aeroponics bay."

Neelix nodded. "I'll pack them up."

Seven moved on to a tree this time with bulbous fruit hanging low on its leafy branches.

"It is very warm."

Seven glanced over. Neelix was eyeing the river with hope. "If you wish to swim, I will continue our scans."

Relieved with her agreement, Neelix wasted no time peeling off his shoes and socks to dip his feet into the edge of the clear water. Little fish darted up to tickle his toes, wondering what this strange creature was doing in their world.

Seven plucked some of the fruit and placed them in one of the storage containers they'd brought.

"You know, my feet are getting a little tired of this. I'm on my feet all day on Voyager, but it's quite different from hiking in jungle."

"Indeed." The container's lid clicked closed. Neelix waved her over, seeming to settle into his seat further. Already pleased with their findings, Seven joined him, sighing in pleasure as the cool water soothed her own feet.

"Do you mind if you take over for me tomorrow?" Neelix asked.

Seven eyed him suspiciously. Neelix continued, looking out over the water.

"I could use a rest and I think Commander Chakotay said he'd like to explore a little further than I'm really up for."

"If you wish to assist with the mining tomorrow, that is an acceptable plan."

"Oh, you know me. I know a little about everything. I'm sure I can help there no problem."

"Very well." She smirked a little, not at all fooled by his nonchalant suggestion, but very grateful for his kindness.

[Alien Planet]

The area around the shuttle wasn't so much a camp as a recreation area with chairs and tables for the group to enjoy eating outside instead of the cramped ship. Chakotay and Harry had taken the time to collect firewood and set up a fire ring.

Sunset was coming on by the time Seven and Neelix returned. Dinner was already prepared and the others were just sitting down around the small fire.

"We were almost thinking we'd have to go look for you two," said Carey. He cheerfully handed Neelix a bowl of stew and dug into his own.

"Thank you." Neelix sat on the camp chair with a groan of exhaustion. "Any more walking and you would have had to carry me back too."

"Getting tired already? That's not very adventurous of you." Carey chuckled. He really was in a good mood. The mining was going well and he was beyond delighted to be off Voyager for a bit.

"Oh, I'm just not used to all this physical effort." Neelix patted his belly, made a little larger than it used to be thanks to being Voyager's chef. "And I'm not what I used to be."

"Ah, none of us are." Carey patted his own stomach, which was only a little softer than it once was.

"Actually, I was hoping I could stay here tomorrow and help with the mining. Commander Chakotay, you and Seven could keep exploring if you like."

Chakotay, needless to say, was very amenable to this plan, but not looking forward to such a long trek in his uniform.

"I can assist." Seven led the way inside the shuttle, Chakotay right on her heels. That they were alone – even just slightly – for the first time in days was not lost on either one of them.

"What do you have in mind?" Chakotay leaned a little closer than was appropriate as Seven busied herself at the replicator. Seven smiled at him.

"Something that will help you smell better at the end of our hike."

Chakotay gave a mock gasp. He was liking this playful side of her more and more. "Are you saying I smell bad? I'll have you know my natural musk is highly admired."

Seven crinkled her nose. "Then you and your admirers can all sit together tomorrow night."

He laughed. "All right. What do you have?"

"It's not Starfleet approved," she warned.

"I'm okay with that."

"Good." She finished punching her orders into the replicator and an outfit appeared. It was essentially the same material as her own, but the design was suggested by the computer, a standard workout design for males.

Chakotay took the clothes, expecting it to be the usual stretchy material used for exercise wear, but it felt softer and lighter with almost a metallic feel on the underside. "Thanks. What is this?"

"It was designed by the Doctor." She held up her left hand. "It is designed to keep human and Borg physiology cool and dry and not snag."

On impulse, Chakotay took her hand, running a finger along the metal with absentminded interest. "You really do have to be careful, don't you?"

"Yes."

He looked up and realized just how close they were and just how intimately his hand held hers. They were alone, only the imperceptible humming of the computer breaking the silence. Her eyes were wide, watching him.

"Hey, guys," Harry's voice echoed through the shuttle. "Your food's getting cold."

Moving away quickly, Chakotay called back. "Coming."

Seven blushed and followed him out. She wasn't sure just what would have happened if Harry didn't interrupt. It wasn't easy for her to imagine things she had no experience with, but she wished Harry had waited just a few minutes more.

[Alien Planet]

The day was warm and bright, the temperature climbing quickly. A mist hung over the canopy and birds welcomed the strangers into their home.

They started early and made good time. They didn't speak much, each thinking about their interrupted moment the night before. As tends to happen when people focus too much on one small event, their thoughts and feelings about it resembled a kaleidoscope.

At some points Chakotay thought he'd made a mistake and gone too far too fast, and yet she hadn't given any hint that she wanted him to stop. Rather, her wide-eyed expression had seemed hopeful at the time.

Like Chakotay, Seven had her own doubts, but they were of a different nature. There was nothing remarkable in their interactions the rest of the night or even the next morning. Rather than reassure her, however, this impersonal treatment left her wondering about herself. Had her Borg implants been too much for him? It didn't seem likely. She'd understood the look in his eyes to be desire, known it because Axum had looked at her like that, and because she recognized it in herself. Logic and her own appreciation for efficiency told her it was ridiculous to expect anything other than the usual impersonal interaction while they were under the watchful eye of the others and then as they performed their duty exploring the jungle. Still, logic was of little comfort.

It wasn't until their first stop for water, their first proper rest, that the tension broke.

The river wasn't deep, bubbling and skirting over rocks to pool in small recesses on its downward slope to whatever final resting place it would make. Scans proved it was clean enough.

Sitting with a sigh, Chakotay took his shoes off to enjoy the cooling water while he filled his canteen. He glanced back and was surprised to see Seven also removing her shoes. She smiled and sat next to him.

Seven gave no indication, but her feet weren't the only thing relieved for the break. She'd never admit it, but a slight headache had started. It began to dissipate with the coolness of the water and the calm of the riverside.

"Can I ask you something?"

Seven nodded.

"Was this your idea or Neelix's?"

"Neelix's." Her smile widened. "It was a good idea."

Chakotay smiled widely. "One of his best."

Seven nodded and for a few minutes they sat in companionable silence, enjoying the sound of birds and the wind in the trees.

They could have continued on at any time, but Seven had been mulling over an idea to relieve the pressure of dating. Hopefully it would be acceptable to both of them. "You do not date often."

"No." Dating options on Voyager were limited, especially if you had an introverted personality and no interest in any other members of the crew.

"Neither do I."

Chakotay nodded, but this was again information he already knew. By her lack of eye contact, he knew she was shy or embarrassed to reveal whatever she wanted to say. Though she wouldn't look at him, he tried to smile encouragingly.

"I understand it is unconventional, but can this count as a second date?"

"Oh." This was a surprise, but a good idea. They were just doing their jobs, but they were alone and enjoying themselves. It would certainly put less pressure on them. He pretended to think seriously about it. "I don't see why not."

"Good."

They lapsed once more into a pleasant silence, but Seven again broke it.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Hungry, Chakotay pulled out a ration bar and handed her half.

"Thank you."

"Your question?"

"Does this," she held up her left hand, "bother you?"

It could not have surprised him more if she'd reached out and assimilated him. Still, he recognized it as a moment when actions would win out over words. He took the metal-enhanced hand in his own and held it up as though examining an fine antique. He frowned over it, watching the sunlight glint on the silver.

"Commander—"

Chakotay held up a hand, stopping her and continued to pretend to examine the metal. "It's Chakotay and, no, you have lovely hands. I don't see why that would bother me."

Seven smiled at his playfulness. She tried to tug her hand back, but he held tight to prove his point. "You know what I meant."

"Does it bother you?"

Seven hesitated. "Yes."

"You realize it bothers you more than it does anyone else, don't you?"

Seven gave a partial shrug. "Not everyone sees things the way you do."

He frowned, but couldn't outright deny it. "Well, my answer remains the same. You have beautiful hands."

Seven, her hand still held by him, could only smile and shake her head in amusement.


	8. Chapter 8

**Precious Cargo**

"No hostile aliens, no plasma storms or major injuries and we have more supplies than we've had this entire trip. Mark this on your calendar, folks!" Harry quipped. He and the rest of the away team sat at the briefing room table on Voyager with Captain Janeway. They had presented their findings and provided an overview of their supplies.

"It does seem to be a rarity out here," said Janeway with a smile. She sipped a fresh cup of coffee. She needed it, steeling herself for the next bit of news. "It seems our presence out here hasn't gone unnoticed. We received a communication from a Wysanti starship while you were gone. We've made arrangements to meet them."

"The Wysanti? Rebi and Azan's people?" Neelix's gaze strayed to Seven at the news. He wasn't the only one. Chakotay and Janeway looked at her with sympathy. She had turned pale, but didn't voice any objection. "How long until we reach them?"

"Two days. Seven—"

"I will advise Rebi and Azan if they have not already been told," said Seven.

"They haven't. We thought it would be best coming from you."

Seven nodded. "I will do so immediately."

"All right." Janeway glanced at them all. "Dismissed. And good work."

Eager to escape their pitying looks, Seven practically ran out of the briefing room. Footsteps behind her hurried to catch up.

"Seven, wait." It was Chakotay.

"Commander." She slowed, but didn't stop.

"Chakotay. Are you all right?"

"I am—"

"Emotionally, not physically."

"In that case, I am concerned." Though she knew it was highly unlikely the same situation would play out, she couldn't ignore what happened when they found Icheb's parents.

"They'll be all right. We'll do our best to make sure they find a proper home."

"I know."

"You've looked after them for awhile now. It'll be difficult to see them go if they do."

She sighed. "And yet it is appropriate. They should grow up with their own people and with the chance to be normal children."

"Do you want help telling them?"

Seven shook her head. Though she was grateful for the offer, she needed to do this alone. "I can manage. Thank you, Commander."

He watched her go, frowning at the return of her cool demeanor.

[Cargo Bay Two]

"We don't want to go." The twins said it in unison. Despite her own apprehension, Seven smiled. The four children stood around her in the cargo bay, all sporting various pouts and frowns.

"It is too soon for you to decide. You may enjoy seeing your people's culture, growing up as you would have if it not for the Borg."

"There is no point discussing what could have been when the present is what it is," said Azan.

"And the present is providing you a second chance to live with your own species in a home with proper guardians."

"You are a proper guardian." Rebi frowned. "You can't make us go."

"Don't you want us anymore?" Azan asked.

Seven knew better than to be pulled in by their emotional tricks, but she still felt her heart give a tug at their declarations. "My feelings in this case are irrelevant. I will only consider what is best for you."

Mezoti stepped up. "What if they are like Icheb's parents?"

Icheb flinched at that. "It is highly unlikely."

"We will ensure history does not repeat itself in this case. I will not force you to go, but we will explore their culture thoroughly. You can make your decision then."

Though they still frowned, the children nodded and allowed her to usher them to their regeneration units. As she watched them settle in, Seven's eyes fell on Mezoti. It occurred to her that if the Wysanti proved to be competent guardians, Mezoti might like to join the two boys. It wouldn't be the same as growing up with her own people, but she'd at least have the chance to be a child with the resources she required and she could be with two brothers. There was little more that could be hoped for.

And what about Icheb? Would he want to remain with his siblings in the quadrant he'd been born in? Surely, he wouldn't prefer to remain on Voyager with their impossible journey lying ahead of them for the next lifetime. What sort of life was that for him?

Despite telling the children she'd only consider their best interests, Seven found the likelihood that they would all soon be gone from her life left her feeling empty and cold. She'd never felt the interest to procreate that other humans did, but since having the children under her protection, she found it difficult to let them go.

[Astrometrics]

The next morning Seven found it more of a strain to part with the children than a relief, but she insisted they continue their lessons. Out of consideration for their feelings and her own, she did capitulate enough to cut their afternoon classes short so they could research Wysanti culture together.

Astrometrics wasn't empty when Seven entered it that morning. Commander Chakotay was waiting for her, which was definitely an unusual event.

"Good morning, Seven."

"Commander."

He sighed. "Chakotay. How are you doing? And before you respond, just know that I'm not leaving until you give me an honest answer."

She hesitated, weighing her options. It felt weak to explain her feelings to him, to admit that a small part of her didn't want to see the children united with their own people. She moved to a console and began working. "I'm fine."

"You must not think very much of me. I can see you're not fine."

"Then why did you ask when you already knew the answer?" she asked stiffly, refusing to look at him.

He breathed deep, reminding himself to remain calm, to remember she was lashing out because she was hurting. "Because I want you to talk to me, Seven. We need to be honest with each other. No matter what, I'll be here for you."

"Your concern is unnecessary. I am fine."

"Damnit, Seven!" He lost his temper. He wasn't proud of it, but he did. To have this tug-o-war with her just when he felt they were heading somewhere special in their budding relationship was too much. Taking hold of her upper arms in a firm, but gentle grip, he forced her to face him. Her eyes were wide, but unafraid and surprisingly unchallenging, tempering his outburst. "Can't you set your pride aside for one moment and see that I care about you?"

"They don't want to go." It slipped out before she could stop it.

"And you?" He held his breath as she stiffened, her whole body hesitant to answer. Still, he kept his grip, holding her close. All at once he felt her relax and he knew she'd made her decision.

"I don't want them to go either. It is selfish and against their best interests, but I have grown accustomed to their presence." Her eyes grew moist, but she refused to let any tears fall.

"You're not selfish, Seven." His hands, still on her arms, released their grip to rub up and down consolingly. "It's normal when you've bonded like you have."

"But it is better for them to return to their own species, to find a proper home."

"And that's why I know you're not selfish. You'll let them go, even encourage them if they resist because you want what's best for them."

Seven dipped her head, but couldn't argue with the truth.

"You've helped them so much already. This next bit will be difficult, but I'll be here to help you through it, so will the rest of your friends."

"I know." She gave him a tiny, tremulous smile. "Thank you."

"No worries. Just promise me something." He waited for her to nod. "Don't push me away. If something's bothering you, I want to hear about it. I can't always make it better, but I'd like the chance to try to help you through it."

Seven, who tried very much to pretend she was no more vulnerable than metal and stone, had a heart that was not in fact made of either. A tiny, hopeful smile lifted the edges of her lips. "I promise."

[Briefing Room]

The initial meeting with the Wysanti was extremely promising. Their starship was a government vessel and run very similarly to Starfleet. They even had a female counsellor, Hali, who served as the children's introduction to their people. Though she admitted to Janeway and Seven that reintroducing former Borg drones to their culture wasn't something she had any experience in, she made such a good impression on all parties that it hardly mattered. Besides, it wasn't as though it was a common situation.

"What about parents?" Rebi asked.

He, Azan, Mezoti, Icheb, Seven, and Hali sat around the table Voyager's briefing room. They had decided their first meeting should be where the children would be comfortable and be able to ask her as many questions as they wanted. Captain Janeway stood against the window, allowing the Wysanti counsellor take control of the conversation, her own presence merely supervisory.

"What about them?"

"We don't have any," said Azan as though Hali were simple. "Where are we going to stay?"

Hali, a mature brunette with kind features, smiled. "There are no such thing as parentless children in Wysanti culture. Someone will always come forward to love and raise a child. We are a community. Communities cooperate and work together so everyone can thrive."

"What if a child isn't a Wysanti?" asked Mezoti. She glanced at Seven to gage how this question would be received. Seven smiled as encouragingly as her clenching heart would allow and Mezoti relaxed.

"It doesn't matter. The same principle applies. We actually have two species on our home world. The rules are the same for both."

"Can we see your ship?" asked Azan.

Hali smiled. "Of course. We can go now if you like and if it's all right with Captain Janeway."

Janeway nodded with a smile.

"Excellent. Come along then. I'll give you a tour."

The group stood, Seven following mutely.

The ship wasn't terribly large, but it was advanced and served to impress the children as well as a starship could. Rebi and Azan were soon chasing each other down the corridors while Mezoti followed at Seven's side, holding her hand. She too became distracted, however, when they reached a small section containing the school room for the handful of children belonging to staff.

Seven watched Mezoti introduce herself to a group of children at a painting station. Her sigh was for herself. Rebi and Azan were already being interrogated by a trio of boys their own age. Icheb alone remained next to her, looking around with only mild interest.

"It's good, isn't it, Seven?" Janeway placed a hand on her shoulder as Seven nodded. "It'll be best for them."

"I agree."

"You do?" Her eyes flickered to Icheb, who was busy looking around, and back.

"Yes, I believe the Wysanti will be best able to care for them."

"Mezoti too if she chooses?"

Seven nodded. Inside she was not quite crying, but it was close. She had to remind herself that it was the best outcome they could ever have hoped for.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Chakotay had just settled on his couch and wasn't expecting visitors so the buzz of his door was a surprise. He called for it to open and was doubly shocked to have Seven stride in. She hesitated just inside the doorway, appearing disoriented. He realized she hadn't been in his quarters before and his position wasn't particularly welcoming. He quickly stood and moved to her.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"No," he took her hand and led her to the couch where she sat somewhat stiffly. "I'm glad to see you. How was it today?"

"Difficult, but I believe the children will be well protected by the Wysanti."

"Good."

"I believe Mezoti will be joining Rebi and Azan." Though she had believed admitting this would bring only pain, to have it out in the open and admitted to someone she trusted made her feel calmer about the situation. It still hurt, but now she was able to accept the truth of it.

"Oh." He did his best to sound as though this was nothing extraordinary. "That's good for her. What about Icheb?"

"I am uncertain. It is clear the others would like him to remain with them, but he doesn't seem inclined to leave Voyager."

"It's going to be a big change not having those three onboard."

"Indeed. Neelix will no longer have to worry about his pastries being stolen."

"Don't be so sure. I think Chell's been the one sneaking those." He was gratified to see her smile at this. "Speaking of food, can I offer you anything?"

"I have already eaten dinner with the children," said Seven with a shake of her head. "However, if you would like to join us tomorrow, we are going to sample Wysanti cuisine."

Chakotay was disappointed for more than one reason to have to decline. "I can't. I already agreed to have dinner with the Captain."

"Another time then." Disappointed, but understanding of his predicament, she shrugged it off.

"I'm sorry." He really was.

"I understand." She did and felt no judgement, just mild disappointment he wouldn't be there to help her keep her emotions in check. "I should regenerate." Seven stood to go.

Chakotay followed her back to the door.

"If you would still like to see Montreal, I can arrange holodeck time for the day after tomorrow. The children will be having dinner with Neelix, Naomi and Ensign Wildman."

Chakotay smiled, relieved. "It's a date. And Seven, I'm glad you stopped by."

Returning his smile, she gave a brief nod. "I am too."

[Cargo Bay Two]

It turned out the distraction of their upcoming date was a blessing as the children advised her the next afternoon of their decision to go to the Wysanti home world. Icheb would be the only one staying on Voyager. Their choice had been made as they used the other starship's database to research their potential home. The presence of the other children had likewise swayed them. The promise of friends their own ages was too tempting for them to ignore.

Seven shared her last meal with the children in the mess, sampling the local dishes of their future home. They drew a few glances from the rest of the crew, but it was all friendly and in some cases the expressions were sympathetic. They all wished they could be home as quickly as the children and most understood Seven's plight more than she would have believed.

The next day passed quickly as well, time seeming to move faster the more Seven thought about the passage of time. There was the departure of the children to anticipate as well as her upcoming date. It was difficult to decide which event caused her more anxiety, but since she was becoming resigned to the children's departure, she was inclined to believe her upcoming date was causing a more emotional response. The formality of this one felt significant, but she wasn't sure why.

She saw the children off to their goodbye dinner in Ensign Wildman's quarters and then did what she always did when she was confused by human social conventions: research.

It took almost no time at all for Seven to find the dating conventions in Voyager's database and quickly grow alarmed. It turned out that the Doctor had compiled a vast amount of data, but only provided her with a fraction of what he'd found. She was glad for his discretion. From what she read, this could be considered their third date and the database suggested some form of physical intimacy was usually expected, but it didn't specify what the requirements were and the options were as endless as they were daunting.

Besides a short kiss with Axum, she hadn't been intimate with a man. Would she know what to do? Sure, she knew the biology of it, but not the emotion or timing. How would she know what Chakotay expected? Did he want or expect anything? It was impossible to guess and for once her research failed to provide a comprehensive answer. Added to how unknown his reaction would be, Seven felt the additional pressure of her own desire. She wanted something to happen, but lacked the experience to know what exactly or how to get it.

Her memory flashed to when she was new on Voyager and believed Ensign Kim wished to mate. She cringed and hoped anything that happened that night would not be that awkward. She'd learned a lot more about social interaction since then, but precious little about physical intimacy.

Square one. It was the best place to start. Seven quickly brought up all the research she could find on how to kiss, but was afraid this was one of those things where research could not replace experience. She was afraid to try researching any further.

Clothes. It was almost a last-minute consideration. Normally she would have deemed her usual wear sufficient and not care beyond that, but if the third date was considered significant, which all research suggested, then she doubted normal uniforms were recommended. The Doctor's social lessons crept into her mind and she recalled his insistence that she "dress for success."

A slight pain interrupted her thoughts. She grimaced, a hand raising to massage her forehead. The pain dissipated and she forgot about it as she sought an appropriate outfit.


	9. Chapter 9

**Date Number Three**

Not wanted to draw attention to himself by loitering in the hallway in civilian clothes, Chakotay waited for Seven inside the holodeck. Its grey walls were deceivingly bland, not giving a hint to the wonders they could create. The doors opened behind him and he turned, stopping dead in surprise, his jaw practically dropping.

"Is my clothing insufficient?" Seven ran a nervous hand down the dress. She'd chosen a long-sleeved black dress with a scooped neckline. The computer had offered it as a modest alternative to some of the racier options the Doctor designed. "I can change."

"No." He almost shouted it. Chastising himself, he held out a hand, which she took with a smile. "You look perfect."

"You are attractive as well."

He chuckled. "Thank you. So, are you ready?"

She nodded.

"I hope you don't mind, but I've made a slight change to our plans."

"What sort of changes?"

"Do you trust me?"

She couldn't help smiling. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"Good. Computer, activate Dance Program Twelve."

Immediately a city at night appeared, lit up with white lights and the general hubbub of a large city ready for a night out. Ahead of them was a large, ornate building.

"Come on." Chakotay took her hand and, tucking it into the crook of his arm, led her to the theatre. They entered the glamorous building.

"It is not Lieutenant Paris' movie house."

"No," Chakotay confirmed. He smiled as she looked around, trying to figure out what exactly it was. "Come on. We'll find our seats."

Despite the number of programmed people milling around the outside and the lobby, the theatre was uncrowded. Chakotay and Seven, naturally, had the best seats in the place.

The lights dimmed and the red curtain pulled aside, a dramatic, yet light tune filling the room.

"Commander—"

"Chakotay," he corrected, smiling widely as he watched her face turn from recognition to wonder.

"Swan Lake." She dragged her gaze from the stage

"I remember you saying you wanted to be a ballerina."

She was speechless, able only to return his warm smile and relax next to him as the dancers acted out the sad love story. A woman trapped by someone else's cruel desires, a single chance at redemption… Seven was embarrassed to have to wipe her eyes as the story's two lovers fought their tormentor and died for their efforts.

Chakotay happened to turn to Seven as a tear escaped her fingers and ran down her cheek. Never before would he have expected to see Seven cry, certainly not over an artistic performance. Acting on impulse, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. She turned to him, surprised, but not offended.

The lights turned on, breaking the spell.

They explored the old section of the ancient city, which had been preserved for centuries with its brick and stone buildings. For the sake of the program, there were no vehicles besides horses pulling pretty carts. The population was likewise lowered so they were not caught in crowds. The horses passed once in awhile and artists on the street offered music or paintings for a fee. Plaques here and there advised them of the significance of the buildings before them and above, courtesy of programming, despite the city lights, were the stars.

They walked until their stomachs began to growl. They chose a spot in the park along the St Lawrence. A clever bit of programming on Chakotay's part led to a small table and chairs appearing at their chosen spot. Candles and a rose completed the setup.

Chakotay, remembering his manners, pulled out the chair for Seven. He eyed her to see how these romantic overtures were accepted. Her smile was both charmed and charming. He had to quickly move to take his seat before he did something to ruin it like kiss her right then.

The meal was simple but delicious, leaving them both satisfied and pleased with the world in general. They chatted and enjoyed the view of ships lit up on the water. When their time was almost up, Chakotay again pulled out her chair and offered a hand, holding onto it as they walked back along the way they'd come.

They reached the doors and stopped, taking a last look out over the city landscape.

"Thank you for showing me this, Chakotay." She looked over. He was staring at her, smiling widely. "What?"

"You called me Chakotay."

"Indeed." She blushed and looked away.

"It's the first time you've done that without me insisting."

"I apologize. It's a habit."

He shook his head slightly, putting an arm around her waist. "Don't apologize, just keep doing it."

"If you wish, Chakotay." Her smile widened as he held her a little tighter in response.

He gave a mock shiver. "Once more, just to make up for last time."

"Chakotay." They smiled at each other, frozen in the moment. Seven felt the world go still around them, her focus narrowing down to the tiny space between them. His touch, though relatively light, might as well have been a vice. Her attention wavered between his eyes and his lips. Both were equally inviting.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Realizing their position and how his overt moved might be interpreted, he moved back slightly. He didn't want to move too fast and ruin what he was now convinced would be a relationship worth a little patience in the start. Seven, however, didn't appreciate the space between them like he thought she would.

"Hold still."

Chakotay froze as Seven's hand rose to his face. His heart threatened to pound right out of his chest. Her body had followed his so that any space he sought to give her was immediately taken back. He was all too aware of how warm, how inviting she was despite the hard, almost harsh planes of her Borg-sculpted body.

"You have intriguing facial features," she said by way of explanation, tracing the contours she'd admired. Though she was aware of how he'd frozen, she had no idea of the extent of her affect on him... not yet.

"Thank you." He tried to smile, but it faded with his distraction as her feathery touches and physical closeness threatened his sanity. He'd never thought himself lacking in restraint, but this was something beyond physical. "Seven—"

Anything he might have said was cut off along with his oxygen as her lips pressed to his. It was no peck, the tension between them flaring up instantly into passion. Her hands moved to his neck and hair as his arms wrapped around her back, pulling her closer. He was amazed and gratified at how she moulded against him, her usually stiff posture melting away like ice in spring.

"I conducted some research," she blurted when they broke apart, both panting a little. Despite her advanced physiology, she felt like she'd just run miles. She briefly wondered at the bridge between mental and physical reactions. Her eyes nervously darted away from him.

"Oh? And what did this research tell you?" he prompted, his voice grown husky. A blush tinged her cheeks endearingly so that his restraint was yet again tested.

"It's been noted by many individuals that anticipation of the first kiss is often uncomfortable." She felt obligated to explain the sudden assault on her superior officer's lips. Anxiety at his obedient lack of movement made her jittery and uncertain. "I wanted to alleviate the tension."

"That was very considerate of you." He splayed his hand on her back, pressing enough to bind them closer. Her now shy eyes were like flighty birds, darting away from him no matter how close he got. It would have been endearing if he didn't desperately want to see those bright blue circles turn to passionate smoke. "What about the second?"

"I would have to conduct more research. It may indicate –" It was her turn to be cut off, but she didn't mind. Her eyelids drifted closed as she lost herself to the physical senses. There was no thought beyond the intake of his scent, the taste of his lips and his venturous tongue, the feel of his firm hands and planes of his chest against hers.

Pain. It was sharp, but besides a short wince, she didn't let it show. She was quickly lost to other things and ignored it.

The hand not holding her back travelled to her waist. She held back a moan. Despite her superior senses, everything was bent towards Chakotay. He was all around her, consuming all as his lips gave and took against hers. His tongue, warm and skilled, teased her. Research was indeed insufficient in this instance.

The computer beeped to let them know their time was up, the city disappearing back into the grey walls of the holodeck. It hardly made a difference to the couple, but Seven knew someone else had the holodeck booked after her.

"We should leave."

Chakotay groaned. "You're right."

He gave her a last, much shorter kiss and walked with her down the empty corridors until their paths diverged. Here too he couldn't resist a last, lingering kiss when she insisted he not walk her all the way home. He blessed their luck as they wished each other a pleasant night in the privacy of the empty hallway.

Seven walked back a little unsteadily to the cargo bay. The children were already regenerating so she was able to change back into her regular biosuit without any questions. She spared a few minutes watching them, her sorrow at losing them back but lessened thanks to her time with Chakotay and the consolation that they were going to where they belonged.

Pain. Seven closed her eyes, the dim lights of the cargo bay and the regeneration units suddenly too much to bear. Her hands pressed against her temples, but the pain didn't lessen. It was more than just the stress of work, more than the pain of going without regeneration for a week, more than any concussion she'd suffered.

Just as quick as the pain had come, it was gone.

She knew she should go to sickbay, but before she could take a step in that direction, a fear gripped her. Though she was not a doctor, she had an inkling of the source of the headache.

Her cortical node. It was the only significant implant in her head. If that was the problem, then there were only two situations that could play out.

If it was a minor issue, she could regenerate and it would correct itself.

If it was more serious… She didn't want to accept such an option, didn't even want to consider it.

 _No_. Her sense of pride could not tolerate the possibility of being so weak.

She thought of Chakotay and made up her mind.

She would regenerate and the issue would resolve itself.

It took a little more willpower for her to ignore the slight trembling in her arm implant, but she managed it.

The subtle click and whirl of the regeneration unit that normally signalled the oblivion of her consciousness didn't come. With a sigh, Seven stepped out and tapped a few commands into the alcove. It was functioning within normal parameters. She lined herself back up, taking a deep, calming breath. The unit started, its humming a signal of the end of her pain. It did indeed clear her mind, but it didn't fix her body as much as she thought it would.

 _Regeneration will correct the issue._ It had to.

[Transporter Room]

This was it. Star date 54129.4. There was no reason to delay their homecoming any longer. The ship was willing to take the children home to their new lives and everyone concerned was convinced the Borg children stood as good a chance at finding happiness on the Wysanti home world as they did anywhere else. There certainly were not concerns like Seven felt with Icheb's people, even Seven's maternal instincts giving way to the happiness of being able to rejoin the children with their proper place in the universe.

Mezoti, always the most affectionate, hugged Seven first. Rebi and Azan, no less affected by the prospect of a final farewell, followed suit.

Seven closed her eyes and leaned into their embrace, committing the feel of their innocent affection to memory.

 _Happy. Be happy._ It was more difficult than she'd ever admit, but she did feel pleased for the children. That they found their people was a miracle. That their people proved worthy seemed even more amazing.

She was happy.

[Corridor]

"It just seems like an insufficient amount of time has passed."

"You're having an emotional response to the children's departure. They'll be fine. We should be happy for them." She knew it to be true and so she forced herself to feel it. No, she really did feel it. There was none of the suspicion she'd felt with Icheb's parents.

"Seven," said Icheb.

"Yes?"

"You're crying."

Seven touched her cheek. She was surprised to find wetness. Tears were indeed falling from her ocular implant and yet she didn't feel them fall. She could tell Icheb didn't believe her, but she was in control of her emotions so the tears were unexpected and quite literally unfelt.

A little fear gripped her, but she didn't let it show.

Of course, the Doctor didn't believe her either.

She tried her best to contain her irritation as he undermined her explanation, describing his own emotional responses observing an opera on the holodeck. _Yes_ , she thought with no small amount of impatience, _opera is equal to giving up three children._

"You're a hologram. You can't cry." This blunt observation did nothing to dissuade his passionate recital. Her rebuttal fell on deaf ears, despite their original programming, until he read the reality for himself.

"Hmm. It seems I owe you an apology. According to this, your tears were the result of a glitch in your primary cortical node. Have you experienced any other malfunctions lately? Headaches, dizziness, diminished motor functions?"

"No." It was a lie, of course, and not a very good one. Seven had never really mastered lying.

"Really?" The Doctor tried to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him. He almost smiled at her petulance. She was easy for him to read and just as easy to outmaneuver. "Then you won't mind if I check the bio monitors in your alcove just to be sure?"

Caught, she could at least downplay the issue if she could keep him away from the alcove. It was, after all, just a slight error in her physiology that would correct itself. There was no need to get him worked up like a mother hen. She was fine. "I have experienced an occasional headache."

"Why didn't you come see me?" That she would hide medical problems from him was alarming. That she had done so for an undefined amount of time hurt him on a personal level.

"The malfunctions have not affected my work." And she was banking everything she had on the hope that it was nothing serious.

"Seven, if you're having problems, you need to let me know."

"If it makes you feel better, I will be more forthcoming in the future."

"You're all heart."

Hurrying to make her escape, Seven was almost through the door when his next words stopped her cold.

"I'll schedule some follow up tests and make my report to the Captain."

 _No_. The thought of being treated like an invalid was repulsive. Besides, chances were good that if he told Janeway, then Chakotay would learn of it as well. That was unacceptable. It was a minor error anyway. It had to be. There was no point alarming anyone. "I'd prefer to keep this between us. I don't want to worry the Captain."

"We've always kept her informed of your medical needs."

 _I've never had a need to conceal my physical deficiencies._ She'd also never needed so desperately to pretend everything was fine. The alternative…

"It was my understanding that all members of this crew have the right to doctor-patient confidentiality."

"If you want to keep this between us, that's where it'll stay." He hid his perplexity over this newfound desire of hers, but inside he wondered. Still, she wore the unyielding stance she took on when she'd set her mind to something. He knew nothing would change her decision now.

Relieved, Seven gave a brief incline of her head and left, hoping that by the time he scheduled another checkup her Borg physiology would correct itself.

[Cargo Bay Two]

Her alcove… It was equal parts a symbol of her superior physiology and an albatross around her neck. She was chained to it like a fish was to water.

The conversation with Icheb in astrometrics was almost entirely forgotten as she settled herself in the regeneration unit. It would help her body correct itself. It wouldn't take a full cycle but she'd schedule one anyway. She was just deteriorating from lack of rest. It would be fine. She would be fine.

The computer beeped at her, stubbornly refusing to comply with her commands.

 _I am fine._

She ordered a diagnostic.

"Alcove Zero One is operating within normal parameters."

"Initiate regeneration cycle."

"Unable to comply."

"Clarify."

"Your cortical node is malfunctioning."

 _A minor error._

Seven had never been very good at lying, not even to herself.

[Mess Hall]

"Chakotay to Seven."

Seven cursed. In her hurry to escape to regenerate and then her move to the empty mess, she'd forgotten that she had a dinner date with Chakotay in his quarters.

"Seven here."

"Are you all right?"

"I am fine." A frown tugged at her lips as she thought how to bypass this conversation. He couldn't know she was defective. He didn't need to know when it was such a minor issue. "I apologize. I…"

"You standing me up?" There was a teasing note in his voice that made it surprisingly difficult for her to respond with the same platitudes she'd given the Doctor and Icheb.

"No, I'll be there shortly." There was nothing else to do after that but leave the mess and head to his quarters. At least the trembling in her arm had stopped.

His quarters were homey and inviting, something she hadn't really noticed before and which was more evident with the partial lighting he'd set. The few personal items he'd spread around were mostly cultural symbols, but she recognized a few mementos from away missions and meetings with Delta Quadrant species.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming." Chakotay stood in the kitchen, having called for her to enter as he prepared dinner. He smiled, but her half-hearted return only left him concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." Seven tried to look normal, but she couldn't quite manage to stand with ease any more than she could smile.

"Really?" He turned down the stove and faced her fully. "You're not acting fine."

This was where close relationships became troublesome. "I'm sorry. I am distracted by… the children leaving."

"You didn't seem to have a problem with them leaving yesterday. Did you find something we should be concerned about?" His thoughts flew to Icheb's parents despite having met and greatly liked the Wysanti.

"No," Seven hurried to reassure him, thinking up a likely excuse, one which also happened to be true. "I suppose I was more affected by their presence than I originally believed."

Chakotay wasn't entirely convinced by this, but thought it might be better to leave it until she was ready to talk about the real problem. "I'm sure it'll be quite the adjustment. I know I'll miss them and I wasn't even their primary caregiver."

She nodded and tried to look comfortable, but was too aware of his assessing gaze, which shifted from his cooking to her as he worked. He was not an idiot and though they hadn't spent a great deal of time together socially, she knew he was more than observant enough to pick up on something wrong. The trembling in her arm began again. To hide it, she clasped her hands behind her.

Click. The stove was turned off. Seven's head snapped up, but Chakotay was already rounding the counter to come to her. There was no escape unless she literally ran away, not that she didn't contemplate it for a second.

"What's really going on?" He put his arms around her waist in a loose embrace.

"Nothing. Everything is fine."

"Seven, if everything is fine, then why are you stiff as a pole?" His fingers traced small circles on her back. Still, she remained stubbornly silent, refusing to look at him. "You can talk to me."

She sighed. He would require some proper answer. "I haven't been feeling well." At his frown, she elaborated. "I have a headache."

"It must be pretty bad for it to be bothering you. Why don't you ask the Doctor for something?" She looked away. "Dinner can wait a few minutes for us to take a visit to sickbay. Or I can replicate something for the pain."

"That isn't necessary. I'll be fine."

"Why suffer if you don't have to?" He moved closer, his frown turned into a teasing smile. "I might be wonderful, but I'm hardly worth a headache."

She smiled just a little at that, lulled by the warmth and feel of his body against her, as light as it was. "You underestimate your value."

A little pressure on her back and she took a step closer. "Are you saying I'm worth a little pain?"

"Perhaps."

"Well then, maybe I can take your mind off it." He was close enough now that he just had to shift forward to capture her lips. Like their last date, she drew close to him like a river over rocks. Her arms went around his shoulders and she moved against him with enthusiasm.

"Ow." Seven pulled away reflexively, her hand automatically moving to her head before she could stop herself.

"What?" Chakotay examined her closely. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Seven—"

"It's a minor error, nothing to be concerned about." She tried to sound strong, unaffected, but she was frightened, afraid of what the pain meant.

"Seven," he said, more firmly, his own hand catching hold of her wrist. "What…"

"A minor problem." She snatched back her arm, which had betrayed her with its trembling.

"No." He grabbed her arm, which continued to shake, and held it up. "This is not minor. We're going to sickbay right now."

"That is unnecessary." She pulled away from his grasp and strode to the door.

"Seven, if you won't listen to me as your friend, then I'll order you as a crewman under my command. It's your choice."

For a moment they stood apart, glaring at each other with varying levels of frustration and fear. It was a true standoff, a battle of wills, but Chakotay had one ace up his sleeve. He was a commanding officer and could indeed carry through on his threat. If he wished, he could order others to force her into sickbay.

A tiny dip of her head was all she gave to indicate she was capitulating to his demand, but it was enough. Seven turned back to the door, which opened for her. Chakotay followed closely.

They made a tense pair as they walked down the corridors. The handful of people who saw them, skirted away and wondered what sort of trouble Seven managed to get into that would make Commander Chakotay scowl so badly.

"Good evening." The Doctor looked between them with polite confusion. "What can I do for you two?"

"Seven?" Chakotay inclined his head.

With a heavy sigh, she straightened and prepared herself to be assaulted by well-meaning hens. "My headache has continued."

"And?" Chakotay raised a mocking brow when she scowled at him.

The Doctor glanced at Commander Chakotay, who leaned against a bed with crossed arms. "And what?"

"My arm malfunctioned."

The Doctor picked up his medical scanner and began examining Seven, who huffed. "I told you, you need to see me when these things happen."

"You are both concerned about an insignificant error."

"Seven," Chakotay broke in irritably, "your arm was shaking uncontrollably. That is not insignificant."

"Indeed," the Doctor mumbled. The more his scanner told him, the more concerned he became. "Seven, would you lie down?"

Unwilling, but with no other choice, Seven took her all too familiar spot in the surgical area of sickbay. She hated it there. All her routine maintenance was performed there and she'd spent so many emergencies on that bed that she secretly hated to even look at it.

The scanner closed around her as she tried to ignore the beeps and whirls as her body was laid open to the Doctor and the medical technology he commanded. She was aware of Chakotay still at his perch, part of the scene and yet giving her the illusion of privacy.

After a few moments, an incessant beeping drew the Doctor's attention and Seven felt her heart clench in fear.

"Commander, can you excuse us please?"

Though not happy about it, Chakotay nodded and obediently left sickbay. He looked back just long enough to catch Seven's eye. He wanted to tell her he'd be outside when she was done, but something in her gaze and the serious stance of the Doctor told him there was no point waiting. Whatever the problem was, she wouldn't be returning for dinner with him.

"Doctor?" Seven watched the doors close behind Chakotay with a small frown. As angry with him as she was for forcing her to sickbay and as much as she detested anyone witnessing her weakness, his presence had been a comfort. She turned back to the Doctor, who was frowning over the medical scanner. "What is it?"

"Your cortical node…"

 _No._

"It's more than just a glitch as we previously thought." He pulled up the results of the scans. She joined him, a glance telling her all she needed.

"The node is destabilising."

"Yes. Soon your body will begin to reject your implants."

"When you've disconnected implants before I've always adapted."

"Minor ones, an assimilation tubule here, a few nanoprobes there, but these implants regulate vital functions."

"And without my cortical node to regulate them, I'll die."

His silence as he looked away told her all. Still, self-preservation instincts were hard to ignore.

"Borg technology is highly adaptive. The node will repair itself in time."

"I don't think so, Seven. If anything, the deterioration is accelerating." The level of deterioration had certainly changed since their last appointment or he would never have let her leave sickbay in the first place.

"The node will correct itself." It had to. Her life hadn't been easy, but she didn't want to give it up, not over something like this.

"And if it doesn't?"

Seven was silent. _Then I will die._

"Can we repair it or replicate a new one?"

"The technology is too complex."

"What if you were still in the Collective? What would they have done then?"

"The Borg would have replaced it. They are the only ones with the technology to replicate cortical nodes."

The Doctor nodded. "All right then. You lie down and try to get some rest. You're going to stay here for observation and I'm going to have to advise the Captain."

"I think I have been sufficiently observed."

"I'm sorry, Seven, but this is not negotiable." He scowled right back at her until she sighed and lay back on the bed. He then dimmed the lights so she would be able to sleep and he called the Captain.

Seven was actually tired. She fell into a light doze that was broken only momentarily when Captain Janeway entered sickbay and joined the Doctor in his office.

[Sickbay]

Truly concerned for her friend and progeny, Captain Janeway visited Seven in sickbay early the next morning. It was not the most productive conversation, but she could at least understand why. Seven was still in denial. It didn't take a professional counsellor to see that. Considering the seriousness of the situation, it also wasn't surprising. What did surprise Janeway was how strongly Seven was holding on to her belief that Borg technology was infallible.

Chakotay stood as soon as Janeway entered the bridge and demanded to know how Seven was. She recalled the Doctor mentioning that it was Chakotay who'd escorted Seven to sickbay. It was a surprise, but she thought nothing more of it besides how lucky it was Seven hadn't been alone when her cortical node really began acting up.

"As well as can be expected. Still stubborn as a mule." Bypassing her chair, she went to stand near Harry.

"What's wrong with Seven?" Harry looked up from his station with concern. Tom and Ensign Wildman likewise turned around.

"She needs a new cortical node." If she had been looking at Chakotay as she said this instead of Harry, Janeway would have seen a moment of unguarded concern.

"Harry, we passed a Borg debris field six or seven days ago."

The ensign nodded. "I can pull it up on long-range sensors."

"No offense, Captain," said Chakotay, "but the last time you took a ship to encounter the Borg, it ended up in a couple thousand pieces."

"That's why I intend to take a shuttle alone."

"Listen, I want to help Seven as much as anyone," indeed, it was difficult to stand on the bridge and argue for caution when she was in sickbay, "but if we're not careful, we'll all end up with cortical nodes. You need someone to go with you."

"I'll be careful."

He was on the verge of suggesting he go with her, needing to be useful and do his part to ensure the success of the mission, but Tom interrupted.

"You'll need a good pilot." Tom strode forward.

"Accompanied by a competent tactical officer," said Tuvok.

"You shouldn't do this by yourself, Captain," Chakotay insisted. Besides not wanting his captain and friend to be assimilated or killed, the simple truth was that chances of success were higher if she had backup. If her success meant saving Seven, he'd do everything he could to help, even if it meant staying on Voyager and letting others accompany her.

Looking around at the determined faces, Janeway sighed. "Well then gentlemen, I guess you're with me."

Chakotay watched them go and then forced himself to sit in his chair, all the time torn between wanting to run to check on Seven and honour his duty to remain at his post. He satisfied himself with the determination he would check on her at the first break he got. In the meantime, he could help both her and the away team by doing his job.

[Sickbay]

Seven was resting, just on the verge of sleep when Icheb called her attention. Her reaction was anything but welcoming.

The Doctor looked up from his desk to see Seven sitting, Icheb in front of her. It clearly wasn't a pleasant conversation. He was about to intervene, but another figure entered sickbay then. He was surprised enough that he hesitated to stand.

"Icheb. Seven." Chakotay saw immediately by their body language that they were arguing, but could think of no logical reason for the two to be at odds.

"Commander." Icheb nodded to him. Seven looked away.

"I see we had the same idea, Icheb." He looked at Seven, who resolutely avoided his gaze. When he drew close, he had to stifle a gasp. It was impossible to miss the newly exposed metal in her cheek and neck.

"The Captain said Seven was unwell."

"I'm fine." Seven glared at him. He glared right back.

"Then why are you in sickbay?"

"Is there a problem here?" The Doctor figured things had gone far enough. He waved for the two men to follow him, but only Icheb obeyed. Chakotay nodded to show he understood his presence was conditional on good behavior.

Chakotay waited for Icheb and the Doctor to disappear before addressing Seven. He moved closer, placed a hand on hers despite the way she refused to look at him. "So, you want to tell me what that was about?"

"I wish to be left alone."

"Does that include me?"

"Yes."

His thumb rubbed lightly on her hand. "You really want me to go?"

Seven looked away, for once wishing she left her hair loose so it could cover the evidence of her illness. At her response, Chakotay took her hand fully.

"Please don't push me away, not when I want to help."

"I don't… I don't want company."

"No, you don't want to be seen as anything less than perfect, but no one is perfect, not even you."

"I am aware of that," she interrupted angrily, "but I have always strived for perfection regardless of my own failings. I am also aware the human ideal does not match that of the Borg. It is irrelevant."

"You didn't let me finish." He gave her hand a bit of a shake, drawing her attention from her anger and back to him though she still avoided his gaze. "I was going to say that it doesn't matter. None of us are perfect, no matter what the goal is, but people who care about you will see past any imperfections you think you have."

Seven tried to retort, but he stopped her.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't all strive to better ourselves, but these little things you think are weaknesses really don't matter to anyone but you. Do you understand?"

She sighed, giving a brief nod.

"I like you just the way you are."

"Your statement seems questionable."

He shook his head, smiling despite some frustration. "And yet it's true."

"I like you as well."

"Glad to hear it. So, how are you feeling?"

"Weak." She admitted it reluctantly, grinding it out as though her illness were a conscious enemy she despised.

Chakotay glanced back, but the Doctor and Icheb were still out of sight. He touched the newly exposed metal on her cheek. "Illness is not the same as weakness."

"That is not the way it feels."

"I know, but you have to trust me that it's true."

"The Borg are unaccustomed to feeling this way."

"Well, you're human now and that does make you slightly more prone to illness, more vulnerable." His finger continued to stroke the metal at her cheek. "But luckily because we're more vulnerable, we pull together when one of our own is in need."

"I'd still prefer to be less vulnerable."

"I know." He smiled. Another quick glance behind him confirmed they were still alone. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. The move surprised her enough to make her finally look at him. A faint blush tinged the spot his lips had touched.

"I'm sorry I ruined our date."

He shook his head, amused. "I prefer to think of it as postponed. When this is all over, I'll make anything you want for dinner."

"That is acceptable." She smiled, but inside was worried they wouldn't get the chance.

"Good." His smile faded. "I have to go."

Disappointment warred with relief to be away from his observance. A quick kiss and he was gone, leaving Seven to her isolation and concern.

She considered calling Icheb back, but despite Chakotay's comforting words, she simply couldn't tolerate the thought of him seeing her. It was bad enough that Chakotay, the Doctor, and Captain Janeway were witness to her malfunction.

[Sickbay]

Seven glanced around sickbay nervously. "They should have finished the simulation by now."

"I'm sure they'll let you know as soon as they do. It's your move." Neelix watched her, apprehension hidden behind a careful façade of friendliness bordering on ditzy. Truth was he was just as worried as she was about the delay, but he took comfort and pride in being able to take her mind off it.

"Don't you have more important duties to attend to?" Despite the moderate distraction his visit provided, she had as much a problem with his presence as she did with Icheb or anyone else's. Chakotay had worked his way into her good graces, but it faded fairly quickly after he departed. To be seen as weak, imperfect, unable to sustain herself… it was intolerable no matter what he said. And yet Neelix was still there for those same reasons. She knew very well that he and the Doctor manipulated her into a Kadis-kot match, all because of her pride. The irony was not lost on her.

"Nothing that can't wait." True, the lunch and dinner rush would be handled by Chell and he had to reschedule a game night with the Wildmans, but some things were worth a little trouble.

"Despite what the Doctor told you, I feel perfectly fine." She rolled her shoulders back, straightening her spine as though to prove it. She ignored the pain in her lower back and the way her shoulders ached.

"Really? Because it looks to me like you're about to lose." He grinned, satisfied with himself, his grin widening when she looked at him sharply.

Barely glancing at the board, Seven moved her pieces quickly in position to win the game. "Kadis-kot."

Neelix examined the board incredulously. "I should have seen that coming. Ah well, that makes what, sixteen to three, your lead?"

"Sixteen to two." Just because she allowed them to orchestrate this diversion, didn't mean she would let them think her mental prowess was at all diminished.

"Oh, my mistake." He smiled, easily able to admit to the error. He began to set up the board again when Janeway and the Doctor entered. He wasn't encouraged by the grim set of their faces. "Oh, I should really see how things are going in the mess hall, but I'll be back later for a rematch."

Seven, anxious to hear the results of the simulations, only barely remembered to nod to him. "Are you ready to proceed?"

Captain Janeway shook her head sadly. "According to the simulations, the salvaged node isn't going to work. I'm sorry."

[Sickbay]

Denied her request to return to duty, Seven waited patiently for an opportunity. Once Janeway left, Seven got off the bed and set about her escape.

Less than an hour later…

The Doctor attached his mobile emitter and picked up a medical kit and tossed it to Icheb. "Take this and search the upper decks. I'll start on the lower."

Icheb nodded and they left sickbay to begin their search.

Icheb hadn't gotten further than the turbolift, however, before a thought struck him. Two people couldn't search the whole ship very quickly and they would fail if Seven moved. They needed help, but if they alerted the Captain to ask for assistance, it would be an uproar. That left…

"Icheb to Commander Chakotay."

"Chakotay here."

"Meet me in astrometrics."

On the bridge, Chakotay and Captain Janeway shared an amused look and shrug.

[Astrometrics]

"Missing?" Chakotay ran a stressed hand over his face. "How long?"

"Approximately two hours. I was hoping you could assist with the search."

Chakotay nodded, his thoughts already bouncing around the ship to the most likely places Seven would seek refuge.

"We didn't want to alert the Captain…"

"No, I understand." Only three regular haunts came to mind and astrometrics was one of them. Of course, she wouldn't return if she was trying to hide, nor would she go to the cargo bay.

"Commander?"

"The Doctor is on the lower decks?"

Icheb nodded.

"Tell him to start in engineering. Actually, wait." He tapped his badge. "Chakotay to B'Elanna."

"B'Elanna here."

"Is Seven in engineering?"

"Not that I know of. I thought she was supposed to be in sickbay." She drew the words out slowly, confused.

"Can you look and let the Doctor know if she is down there?"

"Sure."

Chakotay sighed, every moment raising his agitation and concern. He nodded to Icheb. "You take the aft. We'll work our way down."

Icheb nodded and they left astrometrics, each sporting frowns as they considered the difficulty of their task. Neither mentioned it, but they both felt the urgency behind their search as they considered the possibility Seven had fallen ill in some remote corner of Voyager. If they didn't find her in time...

[Engineering]

Engineering, truly the heart of any starship, was busy and bustling, but B'Elanna's quick glance around failed to locate the blonde. Still, there were nooks and crannies for a person to hide.

Her badge beeped again.

"Chakotay to B'Elanna."

"Go ahead." Amusement warred with exasperation. Did he think she had nothing better to do?

"Any sign of Seven?"

"Nothing. I'll let you and the Doctor know if she turns up."

"Thank you. Make sure you let the Doctor know right away. He's pretty worried."

 _He's clearly not the only one._ "I figured. Don't worry, Chakotay. I'll remember."

As though Chakotay's words were psychic, the Doctor entered not fifteen minutes later, his frown and quick step as agitated as she'd ever seen.

"Doctor –"

"Is Seven here?"

It struck B'Elanna as odd that Chakotay would call to have her search on behalf of the EMH if the Doctor was already on his way to search for himself. That coupled with the strain in her friend's voice, audible even over the comm system, and his duplicate call left B'Elanna very suspicious. "No."

"All right." The Doctor glanced around. "Call me if she shows up."

"Sure thing." She made sure to keep her voice even, unassuming. "Do you want me to also let Chakotay know if I see her?"

"No, I don't want to resort to that just yet." He sighed dramatically. "Though if she doesn't turn up soon, I'm going right to the Captain."

 _Strange._ B'Elanna's curiosity was definitely tickled.

[Engineering]

 _I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die._

The continuous repetition in her head only quieted when she was immersed in work so she found a place to hide. She knew that on a small ship like Voyager she could only stay hidden for so long. Luckily, it was not the Doctor who found her first. She was even more surprised to find herself in a philosophical discussion with her nemesis.

"I think you're a bit more memorable than you give yourself credit for. Can I give you a friendly suggestion?" B'Elanna held up a hand at Seven's raised brow. "Just a friendly suggestion."

Seven bobbed her head in a short nod.

"Talk to Chakotay." She smiled at the way Seven immediately turned back to her work. Yes, her suspicions were correct on that score. "He's more spiritual than I am if that's what you want help with. And besides, you're in a relationship with him now –"

"How did you—"

"—and the most important thing about being in a relationship is that when problems come up, you need to discuss it. Trust me. I learned that the hard way."

Seven, though she sighed and internally fought what she already knew was true, nodded. "I will."

"Good."

"Lieutenant, how did you know the Commander and I are seeing each other?"

"Just a lucky guess... and he called me earlier. Sounded pretty upset that you weren't where you were supposed to be." She smiled. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"And Lieutenant Paris?"

"Ignorant and I won't tell him. That man is a bigger gossip than any female I know."

"There you are." The Doctor glared up at them, glad he'd decided to take a better look in engineering. "I should have known she'd be the one to harbour a fugitive."

"We difficult patients have to stick together." B'Elanna crossed her arms, feigning a nonchalance despite the deepness of her conversation with Seven.

B'Elanna was not surprised when two hours later Chakotay appeared in engineering for no other reason than to see Seven. He didn't actually go speak to her, just drew close enough to see for himself that she was okay. She didn't see him and the tense set of his jaw convinced B'Elanna that a meeting would be best saved for later.


	10. Chapter 10

**Accepting Fate**

Chakotay had just managed to kick off his shoes and settle onto the couch with a PADD containing the various reports from the day. He tried to read the briefs, but every few seconds or so his mind drifted to Seven and what they might do to save her. His mind strayed to her disappearing act and the strain she'd put on her friends. It was then difficult to not think of throttling her.

The whole thing was no small problem with no foreseeable answers.

Sensing all the hopelessness of the situation, Chakotay dropped his head into his hands.

The door chimed.

Without much thought to who it could be or what they might want, Chakotay called for them to enter. He roused himself just as the doors opened. There, standing silhouetted in the doorway was Seven of Nine. She stepped inside, her expression its usual, unaffected stoicism and Chakotay felt his temper snap.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried we were? What if something happened and no one knew you were in trouble?"

Seven gave a tilt of her head, standing at her version of attention. "I could not remain in sickbay anymore."

"You could have at least told someone, told me." Through the fog of his worry-filled anger, he noted she'd offered no apology.

"Would you have told the Doctor where I was?" She quirked a brow, already knowing the answer.

"Of course, I would." Despite the validity of his concern, that was where he knew her argument would lie.

"Then it was a good thing I did not tell you."

"You could have died," he yelled.

"I am dying. The location is irrelevant."

"Now you're just being stubborn. You know what I mean."

"Any of us could die at any time. As a senior officer, you must be prepared for loss."

"There is no way for me to prepare to lose someone I care about. Seven, you can't keep pushing people away like this. Besides not being healthy, in this case it was dangerous."

"I'm dying, Commander, it's better for your mental health if you accept that and leave me be."

"Don't you dare talk like that." In a few short strides he was practically in her face. "You're not dying and even if you were, you can't toss me aside just because you think it's better for me. I get to decide that. Besides, we're not going to let you give up."

"I am dying. Without a cortical node, it will be soon."

"The Doctor—"

"Can do nothing for me. That's why I left sickbay."

"We're going to figure this out."

"You sound like Icheb."

"Well, he's a smart young man."

"He is delusional. The sooner he accepts the reality of the situation, the sooner he can adapt."

"And me, Seven? Am I supposed to simply adapt when you've just given up without a fight? I'm not a drone and you can't just give up."

"I have merely accepted reality. I fought and I lo— I lost."

Her voice broke and without hesitation, Chakotay reached for her, surprised when she reciprocated immediately. They clung together as though afraid to let go.

"I'm sorry."

"Shh. It's all right."

"No, it's not. I didn't mean to worry you, or to yell."

"You're afraid and angry. I understand."

"I shouldn't have come. The only way for you to adapt is if you accept reality and try to move on, Commander."

"First of all, you agreed to call me by my name, and second if you doubted yourself, why did you come?" It occurred to him his temper snapped so fast that she hadn't explained her arrival.

"I am conflicted."

"Well, you came to the right place. I am the unofficial ship's counsellor." He pressed a kiss to her cheek, just because he could.

"I don't want you to suffer when I'm gone," the memory of her final time in Unimatrix Zero came to mind, "but I don't want to waste our time together."

Chakotay felt his throat tighten at this. Though they had gone through a number of dangers together as a crew, facing death on more than one occasion, it was hard to ignore Seven's conviction that she was not going to escape this time. "Then let's not."

"Thank you." Seven sighed into Chakotay's neck.

"Seven," Chakotay pulled away enough to look into her face. He wanted her to know that he meant his words. "You're right that I can't tell you it's all going to be okay because I don't know, but you need to understand that no matter what happens, we're going to face it together."

She felt tears gathering again as she nodded. It irked her, this near-constant state of tearfulness she'd been in and yet she couldn't push her feelings away.

He met her lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. One turned into another and another until they were clinging on in a passion borne as much from unexpected and simple love as it was from a fear they might not have long together.

A glance between kisses was all it took. Chakotay half pulled and was half pushed by Seven to his bedroom. She hesitated as he bent to her neck, but he hushed her by leaving a trail of tender kisses where the monitor had reddened the skin and back up to her pink lips.

It felt anticlimactic that that's pretty much where it ended. A sharp jolt of pain left Seven clutching her head and Chakotay's own sense of honour would not allow them to go any further, not under such circumstances.

Her alcove wouldn't accept her defective cortical node so regeneration was out of the question for the night, but she could sleep.

Seven couldn't remember the last time she'd slept, but at Chakotay's whispered entreaty for her to stay, she settled down next to him, snuggling in tight.

"Chakotay."

"Yes?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Tell me about your faith."

"I take it the Collective didn't assimilate many Shamans."

"They did not."

He pressed another kiss to her forehead and began to speak, the words feeling stilted and unpracticed, but after a few minutes, it began to flow. Some were stories he thought he'd forgotten, all told to him by his grandfather or father.

He lay there with Seven folded in his arms, the stars passing beside them, and a calm seeping into him with the slow remembrance of his people's stories and all the memories that went with his learning of them. He felt Seven grow heavy with sleep not long before his own exhaustion overcame him.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

The morning may have started with Chakotay's pre-set alarm, but with Seven cuddled against his chest, the time until he arrived on the bridge was drawn out with languid caresses and soft kisses. It was a far cry from anything he would have expected from her when she first arrived on Voyager. She was as soft and womanly in his arms as any fantasy he could have dreamed up.

They made breakfast together in his quarters, taking their time and procrastinating at the table until Chakotay was late for his shift.

Since she didn't have to hide anymore, Seven returned to astrometrics. Captain Janeway found her there later that morning, researching a variety of Earth icons.

"Where is that?"

Seven turned to acknowledge Captain Janeway's arrival. "The Mayan ruins of Tikal."

"Never been there. When did you become interested in ancient Earth cultures?"

"I had a conversation last night that made me curious."

"I see. Commander Chakotay's people are originally from that area, aren't they?"

"Not this area specifically, but I find it is difficult to narrow down ethnic origins."

Janeway nodded. "We're not quite a homogenous species, but there was enough immigration throughout history that almost everyone has a mix of world ties."

"I believe most of your family has been in southern Indiana for several generations."

"Originally from Ireland and some other areas of Europe, but I prefer farm country myself," she said, a trace of a drawl colouring her tone a moment.

Seven pulled up a different image. "Bloomington, Indiana. Your hometown. You've mentioned it on several occasions."

"Sure is. So, what do you think?"

"It appears a pleasant environment. I believe I remember something similar to it from my childhood."

"You don't remember a lot, do you?"

"No, just fragments. Most of what I remember is due to the neural link Commander Chakotay and I shared when you disconnected me from the Collective."

"Well, when we get to Earth, I'll take you there. Maybe you'll remember more if you actually see it."

"Doubtful and it—" She stopped, remembering Chakotay's words from the night before. He didn't want to hear the reality of the situation and clearly Captain Janeway wanted to pretend it would all be fine. Her desire to leave her mentor in no doubt as to her appreciation forced her to speak.

"Yes?"

"I know you don't want to hear the truth, that it is unlikely I will make it to Earth, but the severity of my condition must be accepted, my death must be accepted."

"If you were dying, then I would accept it, but you're not." Janeway was firm, as though she could command Seven's illness away.

"No, you wouldn't, which is proven by the fact that we are arguing about it now. And I think I understand why."

"Really?" Janeway's voice turned cold. "Enlighten me."

"I've required your constant assistance to develop my individuality."

"You've come a long way."

"But not far enough. I've disappointed you. You feel your task is incomplete. That's why my death will be difficult."

"Is that what you think? That you haven't lived up to my expectations?"

"Clearly I haven't, but I want you to know that the failure to live up to your expectations has been mine, not yours."

Janeway shook her head slightly, fighting her emotions at the admission. "You haven't failed, Seven. You've exceeded my expectations. You've become an individual, an extraordinary individual. If I'm having trouble accepting your condition, it's only because I don't want to lose a friend."

Seven didn't know how to respond to such a statement, but she didn't need to as the Doctor's voice over the comm interrupted.

"Doctor to the Captain. I need to see you and Seven right away."

[Sickbay]

After both listening to Icheb's presentation and immediately dismissing it, Seven requested to return to sickbay, no longer able to ignore the gradual decline in her energy. The Doctor nodded. He and Seven walked to sickbay in silence. There didn't seem to be anything to say at that point. He wanted her to consider Icheb's research more, but had to respect her refusal.

Seven was growing afraid. Her hand trembled and her legs were steadily growing weaker. She could almost calculate how much time she had until she'd be confined to bed.

In sickbay Seven went to a computer to continue improving the Doctor's filing and he returned to his office.

She hadn't been there an hour when the doors swished open to reveal Chakotay.

"The Captain told you?"

He nodded, but didn't ask why she wouldn't consider the procedure. He knew she wouldn't risk Icheb's life to save her own. It had never even occurred to her that they could take a live drone's cortical node to save herself.

"Did you come to get me to reconsider?"

He shook his head. "No, I came to keep you company. And before you say you don't need anyone, just remember that it's as much for me as for you."

Seven nodded, trying to hide a reluctant smile.

The Doctor came out of his office a few minutes later, interrupting their quiet conversation. He ran a quick scan of Seven's cortical node and was about to return when she swayed.

"Seven?" Chakotay caught her arm, supporting her with his other hand at her waist until she was able to stand without fear of falling.

Sharing a grim look with Chakotay, the Doctor took Seven's other arm and helped lead her to a bed. "Is there anything I can get for you? Would you like something from the mess?"

"Like a last meal?"

"I…" The Doctor looked stricken, but Chakotay frowned and crossed his arms, not amused with her dry humour at the moment. "No, of course not. Is that what you thought?"

"An attempt to lighten the mood, Doctor."

"Ah, yes, well done." He tried to give a chuckle, but it came out so unconvincing that Seven drew an embarrassed breath, ready to apologise.

"Icheb to the Doctor. Report to the cargo bay immediately."

Seven frowned. "He's persistent."

"Not to worry. I'll make it clear to him that persistence is futile."

Seven nodded.

The Doctor, perhaps by habit, took his standard medical kit with him, a move he'd never be able to later explain.

He was almost out the door when it finally occurred to him that it was unusual for Commander Chakotay to be acting so close to Seven. He glanced back, in time to see the Commander move closer. The Doctor looked away, striding out of sickbay as quickly as he could to escape the scene. It wasn't as though the Commander had kissed her or that they made googly eyes at each other, but it was an intimate moment just the same. It hurt. There was no pretending otherwise. Still, he took a deep breath and steadied his emotions for meeting Icheb.

Lost in the opportunity to be alone, Seven and Chakotay failed to notice the Doctor's hesitation. They were already too focused on each other to notice anything outside themselves.

"Don't give up." Chakotay moved close, his words just a whisper.

"I won't." She couldn't look at him. She didn't need to give up; it was all but over.

He reached out to cup her cheek. "Harry and B'Elanna are still trying to replicate the node."

"The Captain told me. Their attempts to replicate it will not succeed any more than their attempts to repair it."

"You don't know that."

Seven merely sighed. There was no point arguing when he was so determined to ignore the truth. "Chakotay, I want you to know how much our time together has meant to me."

"No, you can't say goodbye. Not yet."

"There may not be any other time." She felt the muscles in her right leg weaken and was glad she was sitting down.

He wanted to chastise her, but she looked tired, beaten, and he didn't want to miss what could be his only chance to tell her how he felt. "It's meant a lot to me too, Seven, more than I can say."

They were already close, but he leaned closer and Seven closed the gap, meeting his lips. They lost track of time until the transporter materialized three figures in sickbay. They jumped apart, their embarrassment quickly disappearing into horror at the sight before them.

Captain Janeway spared only a fleeting thought over the fact that Chakotay was with Seven again, her attention more consumed by Icheb. She and the Doctor held the young man up between them, his trembling, sweating body feeling as frail as possible without being in the throes of death.

"What is wrong with him?" Despite the pain in her head and the weakness of her muscles all over, Seven stood.

"Icheb decided to conduct a little operation on himself," said Janeway irritably.

"What?" Chakotay helped support Icheb while the Doctor went to retrieve his instruments.

Seven staggered as far as she could, making it to the standing console outside the surgical bay. "You must reconnect his node immediately."

The Doctor almost rolled his eyes. "I intend to."

"No." Icheb stumbled forward, shaking off the grip of his superior officers so that he and Seven used the same console to support themselves. "If Seven can refuse treatment, then so can I."

"We don't have time for this."

"Check your scans." Icheb tried to hold still for the obedient move of the tricorder over his forehead. "You'll see I'm already adapting."

"Some of your implants have adapted," the Doctor conceded, "but not all."

"Then apply the resequencing technique I researched."

"This debate is pointless," Seven broke in, furious that it had gone on so long. "I won't accept the node."

"And I won't keep it."

"Someone had better use the damn thing," the Doctor yelled. "If it stays disconnected much longer it won't do either of you any good."

Seven glared at Icheb. "You're acting like a child."

"I'm trying to save your life."

"Only because you've grown too dependent on me." A sharp move from Chakotay drew her attention for half a second, but he remained silent and frowning and she returned to glaring at Icheb.

"You think I need to learn to rely on other people?" Icheb would have shouted if he could have.

"Yes." Despite his clear anger, she remained stubbornly firm. Part of her knew it was irrational, but desperation, fear, and sadness had been in control for too long now to be ignored.

"What about you? You've refused to rely on a single member of this crew. You hid your condition from the rest of us, you deactivated the Doctor, and now you're rejecting my help. You're the one who needs to rely on others. Isn't that what people on this ship do? They help each other?" He looked to the Captain.

Janeway nodded and recalled her thoughts while talking to Seven of Axum and the destruction of Unimatrix Zero. She didn't want Seven to become shut off, removed from the crew and alone the way Janeway often felt. It occurred to her then that she'd not followed up on her concerns and had even failed to consider they were two very different people, each isolated for dramatically different reasons. She looked at Icheb with new appreciation, admiring his conviction and insight. Beside her, Chakotay nodded. "Whenever we can."

"If the Captain were dying, you'd risk your life to save her, wouldn't you? And when you respond to a distress call, you're risking the life of everyone on this ship to respond to the aid of strangers."

"He's right," Janeway agreed. She dared a glance at Seven, who was less than happy at this.

"Doctor!"

"Don't look at me."

"Chakotay." She turned pleading eyes to him, but he shook his head.

"He's right, Seven. You pushed us all away when you needed us most. I understand why, but you also need to understand that you can trust us, that you need to use our help."

"I don't—"

"Yes, you do need us. I know it hurts your pride, but it doesn't make you weak to accept help." No need to point out that it was what he'd tried to tell her from the start.

"Captain," she thought of a new tactic, "he's just a child."

Janeway shook her head, refusing to give her support. "I don't think he is, not anymore."

"Please," begged Icheb, "just let us help you."

Seven hesitated, but for Icheb she really would do anything. The hopeful looks of the others merely sealed her choice – or lack thereof.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Grateful for his sacrifice and relieved that she would not immediately die, Seven spent her free time after waking from surgery with Icheb in sickbay. Her visits were so steady and long that the Doctor began to joke he should move Icheb there permanently if only to get her to adhere to her maintenance appointments.

Though this arrangement meant their time together was limited, Chakotay didn't begrudge Seven or Icheb for it. He was glad Seven had someone like Icheb to save her from herself and happy Icheb's bold move had succeeded so well. True, the young man had been in rough shape for awhile, but in the few visits Chakotay made to see the younger man, he'd never once complained or suggested he regretted what he'd done. Chakotay was indescribably proud of him.

Since Icheb was still in sickbay a week later, it was a surprise when Chakotay answered his door and found Seven.

"I thought we could complete our date, if that is acceptable."

Chakotay smiled brightly. "Of course! Come in. I would have invited you earlier, but I expected you to be with Icheb."

"He evicted me from sickbay," she explained, smiling with reluctance as Chakotay laughed.

"He did, did he?" Chakotay led the way into his quarters, but stopped just before the kitchen as he realized something with embarrassment. "I'm not sure I have the ingredients for anything edible."

"Then it is a good thing I'm here." Seven moved around him quickly and opened his small fridge, which did indeed contain only some bare essentials.

"Well?" Chakotay peered around her shoulder.

"This may be my greatest challenge yet."

"Ha ha. I did warn you."

She took the few vegetables out and set them on the counter. She then raided the cupboard, but they only produced the most basic of spices, nothing of more substance.

Even with her culinary skills, Seven was glad a food replicator was standard equipment in the senior officer's quarters. If it hadn't been, their private dinner would have taken place in the mess and not ended quite so pleasantly.

As Chakotay took the plates to the sink, insisting he clean since Seven cooked, Seven took a closer look at the knickknacks he'd spread out. She'd observed them at a distance the last time she was there, but not examined them in detail. One item in particular caught her attention.

"It's a crystal skull, or a replica of one the elders used to have on Dorvan V," said Chakotay, noticing her reach out to stroke the smooth stone.

"A symbol of wisdom and human potential."

He nodded. "Depending on who you ask, the crystal itself was also said to hold its own powerful properties."

"You told me several stories." She saw him nod, remembering their night together. "Do you believe them?"

Chakotay shrugged. "I don't take them literally, but I believe in the morality and lessons they mean to convey. The corresponding symbols," he nodded to the skull, "serve as reminders and supports for those stories."

"I understand many cultures share similar beliefs and symbols."

"They do." He smiled. "Sounds like you're catching a bit of the anthropologist bug."

"I was unaware interest in a field of study was comparable to infection."

"Depends how you look at it. So, do you like it?"

Seven picked up the skull, weighing it easily in her hand and assessing its contours, the way the light shone on the smoky quartz. "It is an intriguing creation."

"Good. I wish I could show you the original." He finished putting the last plate away and moved to join her. "It was said to come from the ancient Mayans."

Seven put the skull back as Chakotay drew close, standing behind her with a hand at her waist. She reached up higher to touch a carved piece of wood showing scenes of a hunt with creatures she didn't recognize.

"I traded a book for that." It had caught his attention at a market about two years prior.

"And this?" She picked up a ceramic jar of poor craftsmanship and bold colours.

"Mezoti made that for me." He laughed, pointing to zigzagging lines around the base. "She thought it was a modern touch on an old design."

"I should show you the clay representation she made of me."

"She was certainly creative."

"Yes, she was. It will serve her well."

"She'll be fine. She's good at adapting, just like you. You really are a good guardian. Did I also mention how beautiful you are?"

Seven smiled, feeling him draw closer against her back. "Are you attempting to flatter me?"

"Maybe." His lips met the base of her ear. "Is it working?"

She turned to face him, his arms circling her waist as she did, their lips meeting in a light kiss. "I am uncertain. Perhaps some more research is required."

He didn't need any more invitation than that, bending to her lips with eager attention. One of his hands rested at her hip, splaying to press her closer. She moved against him, a newfound appreciation for physical contact welling up. She could have explained the biology of her feelings, but it was much more fun to let her body do what came naturally and only think about the pleasure of giving and receiving loving caresses.

Chakotay left her lips to trail a line of kisses along her jaw. When he reached her neck, he quickly grew frustrated.

"Perhaps we should institute a new dress code for our dates," Seven said breathlessly.

Giving up on trying to bypass the skin-tight collar of her biosuit, Chakotay gave a dry chuckle. "I agree. Should I make it an order?"

"The Doctor did design some other clothing options for casual situations. I will look into it next time."

Chakotay gave a shake of his head. "I was joking, Seven. I want you to be comfortable."

Seven smiled. "Noted." She ran a hand through his hair, admiring the short and surprisingly soft texture.

"Seven…" He sighed as her fingers stroked and wove over his scalp.

"Yes?" She leaned in, their kisses quickly growing more passionate until…

"What's wrong?" Seven had pulled away unexpectedly, a hand automatically raising to her forehead as a strange sound and small pain distracted her.

"I don't know."

"It's not—"

"No," Seven assured him quickly, "my cortical node is functioning. The Doctor advised I would require full regeneration cycles for the next month at least."

"Did you get a full cycle last night?"

Seven looked away sheepishly. "No."

"Well, then let's go. I can walk you back to the cargo bay."

"That is unnecessary."

"Not to me." He took her hand and led her to the door. "My mother taught me to always be a gentleman and dinner can wait."

[Astrometrics]

As it turned out, there wasn't a lot of time for the two of them to pick up their date where they left off. Tom and Harry ran into an alien ship and before anyone knew it, Voyager was entering the Delta Flyer into a race.

Immediately, the ship was bustling with diplomats, tourists, ship enthusiasts, and crewmen helping ready the Flyer. Janeway dealt with the majority of the diplomatic meetings, but there was only so much she could handle on her own. The regular duties and these extra diplomatic issues therefore fell to Chakotay.

With the stress and constant running around, it was then no wonder Chakotay was as eager as anyone to head to astrometrics to check on the race… and see Seven.

He gave a short laugh at the sight of astrometrics full to the brim, Seven and Neelix at the front with Captain Janeway. His hope of a moment alone with Seven was out the figurative window, but that didn't mean he had to leave. He edged his way to the front, forcing his way to Seven's side, smiling at her before they both turned their attention back to the race.

Tuvok entered shortly after and attempted to give Janeway his weekly security report.

"I'll read it later," Janeway said, not sparing a glance for the work.

A little miffed by such a brushoff, Tuvok tried to edge his way closer. "There are a few matters we should discuss."

"She said later, Tuvok." Chakotay leaned forward, brushing a more against Seven than strictly necessary, and tapped in a command so he could see the readings on the Flyer a little better.

The display of the lead ships vanished.

"Something's wrong." Neelix watched the ships vanish from the astrometrics screen. "They're disappearing."

"What did you touch?" Janeway turned to Chakotay accusingly.

A few commands to the screen told Seven all she needed. "Radiation from the Mobius Inversion is blocking our sensors."

"How will we track their progress?" Tuvok too tried his luck at the controls, but to no avail.

"We can't," said Chakotay, "not until they emerge from the other side of the anomaly."

"Want to talk about that report now, Tuvok?" Janeway only barely managed to keep her expression serious.

"Later." He realized how that sounded. "If that is permissible."

[Mess Hall]

A terrorist attempt on the race, the near destruction of the Delta Flyer, Harry's romantic interests dashed… It turned out to be a strangely typical couple of days for the crew of Voyager.

Perhaps the only thing they hadn't expected was the impromptu wedding of Tom and B'Elanna. They'd quickly signed the legal work, had Janeway officiate a tiny ceremony and then taken the Delta Flyer off for a private circle of the racetrack.

"Are you disappointed?"

Chakotay quirked his head, confused.

"That the Delta Flyer did not win," Seven clarified. They stood in the mess with the rest of the celebrating crew and diplomats. Seven had arrived late, but managed to squeeze herself into an isolated corner with a glass of sparkling water and Chakotay, naturally, found her.

"Not at all."

She raised a brow.

"Maybe a little." He sighed. "It would have been nice to have the reputation as the first winners of such a monumental race."

"Perhaps going out with a bang will secure us an equally impressive status in their memory."

Chakotay laughed, leaning closer. "Yes, I think you're probably right." He looked around. Everyone's attention was diverted. "You know, I'm glad we got to have this opportunity, but I hope we can settle down into a routine for at least a little while."

"You do appear sleep deprived," she said, tracing the dark circles under his eyes with her gaze.

"I could use a nap, but that's not what I meant."

"I know." Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, she placed her hand on his. "I will be having lunch in the mess at my normal time tomorrow."

"What a coincidence. I planned on being in the mess then too."

"We should use the space efficiently and share a table."

"I wholeheartedly agree. And what about dinner?"

"I am unfortunately engaged for the next three nights."

"And I have my standard dinner with the Captain." He sighed in disappointment.

"I believe there is an old Earth saying that may apply to this situation."

"Oh?"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Chakotay laughed. "True, but I'm quite content with the amount of absence we've endured thanks to this race."

"Agreed." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "But we have a long time to make up for it."

"Attention everyone." Janeway's raised voice and the gentle ping of a utensil on glass drew everyone's attention.

Beside Seven, still somewhat hidden in their corner, Chakotay sighed. "You'd think we've had enough speeches for one night."

Seven smirked at him and silently agreed. They'd listened to the closing ceremony after the race, four speeches opening the current party, and an impromptu poem of sorts that an intoxicated ambassador decided to recite before Neelix delicately steered him to a seat and some water. Still, Janeway did enjoy showing off her diplomatic skills and there was no one there who would discourage her.

"First of all, I'd like to congratulate the winner, Assan, for winning the first Antarian Trans-Stellar Rally." She lifted her glass to the reptilian man, the only one still wearing his leather jumpsuit. He nodded back, but despite winning, still looked like he'd rather be ripping off heads than helping the sector find peace. "I'd also like to express the deep gratitude I and my crew feel that we were allowed to participate in this monumental event. Hosting the ceremonies has been both a pleasure and an honour. If we didn't have to continue our journey, I'd even offer to host again next year."

"And we would have been more than willing to take you up on that offer." Ambassador O'zaal, a kindly man, shouted out from his place in the middle of the room. Those who knew the petty squabbles he'd had to deal with chuckled. Janeway herself smiled knowingly.

"We've come across many races, many territories, and too many torn apart by war. I congratulate you on the start of your journey to peace together. Even when differences come between you, may you always remember the spirit of this race and find a way to see the similarities that bind, instead of the differences that destroy."

Applause followed her words and then everyone turned back to their conversations. It was hard to tell if a single speech would have any effect on anyone's actions, but there was always hope.

[Corridor]

B'Elanna and Tom sauntered down the hallway to the holodeck. They had the day off, which was rare for them to get together and which meant they took full advantage, even donning casual clothes.

"Fresh flowers," B'Elanna smiled at her new husband, charmed by his simple romance, "and an afternoon on the holodeck. It almost feels like we're dating again."

"The secret to a lasting marriage. Keep the romance alive."

"I'm not complaining."

Tom led the way through the holodeck program, the entrance clearly the lobby of a theatre. He stopped at the line to a concession stand while B'Elanna looked around at the building. It was pleasant with its thick, red carpet and mix of gold highlights around pillars and intricate mouldings. Still, she wondered why he bothered when they didn't even really need the lobby let alone the line.

The theatre itself was not terribly large, unlike some of the concert halls the Doctor had pulled up for his recitals. Random holographic characters were already seated around, munching popcorn and sipping pop.

B'Elanna looked around curiously as they sought their seats. "Lecture hall?"

Tom forced himself not to laugh. Did she really think he'd go to all this trouble just to attend a lecture? "Guess again."

"Opera house?" She was struck with a terrible thought. "Not another one of the Doctor's performances."

"This is a movie house. This is the Old Palace Theatre in Chicago, built in 1932. Look at the detail on that crown moulding."

"It doesn't look very functional," she said, pretending she hadn't already seen and admired it.

"This place isn't about function, it's about fantasy."

B'Elanna stepped on something, lifting up her shoe with a grimace of disgust, her husband answered her unspoken question.

"Chewing gum."

"There is such a thing as too much authenticity."

"Attention to detail. That's what makes it fun." Still, he made a mental note to remove the gum for the next time they used the program.

As they sat, Tom handed her a pair of plastic and paper glasses. B'Elanna began to wonder just what sort of show her husband had conjured up. "Protective lenses?"

"These will make the images on the screen appear three-dimensional."

That was it. A crowded lobby, lineups, chewing gum, and now this charade. "Let me get this straight. You've gone to all this trouble to programme a three-dimensional environment that projects a two-dimensional image, and now you're asking me to wear these to make it look three-dimensional again?"

Her irritation was entirely lost on Tom, who was thoroughly excited for the movie. "Great, isn't it?"

B'Elanna sighed, but chose to let it go as the lights began to dim. She spared an amused smirk for the ridiculous title of the movie. Tom put his arm around the back of her chair. "Crick in your neck?"

Tom tried not to grin too widely. "People didn't go to the movies just for the movies, you know."

"Really?" It was difficult not to laugh at his boyishness. "What did they go for?"

"I'll try to demonstrate." He leaned forward and met her willing lips.

"I can see why this was so popular."

A woman behind them gave a loud, "Shush!"

Irritated, B'Elanna sat up. "Maybe this would be more fun if we were alone."

Authenticity be damned. "Computer, delete audience."

Immediately the seats around them were empty, all except the two Tom and B'Elanna occupied… and a single person close to the screen.

"Who's that in the front row?" Tom asked. He didn't remember programming any other characters to appear in the theatre except the audience. "Must be a glitch."

B'Elanna shook her head, recognizing the outline of the man, her confusion only growing. "No, that's Tabor."

Tom stood, confused since Tabor should have finished helping with the program hours ago. If Tom remembered correctly, Tabor was supposed to meet with crewman Jor. They approached the unmoving Tabor with concern. "Hey, you okay?"

Tabor didn't answer, just stared ahead blankly.

B'Elanna gasped, believing him to be dead.

Tom bent down and pressed his fingers to Tabor's neck. He breathed a sigh of relief. "He's alive."

[Sickbay]

The Doctor was stymied. It wasn't the most unusual medical case he'd ever seen, but he had no ready answers for it either. "He appears to be in a coma, but I'm reading unusual synaptic activity."

Chakotay hovered worriedly over the former Maquis. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know. I'd like to know what he's been doing the last few weeks. Where he's worked, away missions."

Glad to have something to do, Chakotay nodded. "I'll access his duty roster."

Since it wouldn't take long and he'd need to show any results to the Doctor, Chakotay used the Doctor's office to access the required files. Chakotay thought he saw the hint of a frown on the EMH when he suggested it, but brushed it off as concern over Tabor.

It didn't take long for the Doctor to conduct his medical scans.

"Commander," the Doctor joined Chakotay in the office, "was Ensign Tabor in conflict with anyone?"

Chakotay shook his head, not even having to think about it. "Not that I know of."

"He would have told you if he was?"

"Yes." Tabor was quiet and stoic, but he had never withheld information or suffered in silence. If he had a problem with someone, which was remarkably rare, then it was known. "I know Tabor. If he had a problem, he would have told someone. Why?"

"I see signs of an assault."

"Assault?" Chakotay thought hard. "I can't imagine who would do that to Tabor. He's widely liked."

That was enough for the Doctor to call in the rest of his superior officers.

The Doctor waited until Chakotay, Tuvok and Janeway were gathered around to inform them of his findings. "I've found several microfractures in his cranium. They're minor, but the pattern suggests he suffered a trauma of some sort. There's also evidence of subdermal contusions along his right shoulder."

Though Chakotay hadn't doubted the Doctor the first time, seeing the evidence for himself was sobering. "This man was attacked."

Janeway didn't like the thought of Tabor's condition being the result of an accident let alone a deliberate attack. It was even hard to tell which would be worse: an intruder or a violent crewman. Still, she trusted her security officer above anyone else. "It's possible that whoever did this is still on board. Go to Yellow alert."

Chakotay nodded and moved to do as she bid.

"Tuvok, I'm putting you in charge of the investigation."

"Aye, Captain."

[Astrometrics]

They left sickbay shortly after, Chakotay splitting up from the group to do something that was overdue. He entered astrometrics, bracing himself for an angry confrontation.

"Commander." Seven was pleasantly surprised to see Chakotay, even though he'd not shown up for their lunch date.

"I'm so sorry, Seven."

"Your apology is unnecessary, Chakotay." Seven turned away from her work to face him. "I heard about Ensign Tabor."

"Still, I should have called." Reassured she at least wouldn't explode at him, he joined her at the console, reaching out to hold her. The way she placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned into his body relieved him more than words could. "All I can say is it was a hectic day and I'm so sorry."

Seven shook her head and leaned in for a quick kiss. "As I said, it is unnecessary. You were attending to a serious matter."

"Still, I'll do my best to not do it again."

"How is Ensign Tabor?"

"In a coma. The Doctor can't make sense of it."

"The Doctor is more than competent," she said, correctly reading the source of the new creases around his forehead. "I am sure he will find a way to bring Ensign Tabor back to consciousness."

Chakotay smiled, grateful, but unable to forget the second source of his concern. "It looks like he was attacked."

Seven was confused. "Why would anyone attack Ensign Tabor?"

"That's the big question."

"A question you and Commander Tuvok will no doubt work hard and efficiently to answer."

Chakotay sighed. "Yes, and speaking of that…"

"You must return to the bridge."

"Yes." He moved a hand up to cup her face, drawing them closer. She smelled clean and sweet, inviting. Her lips were soft and pliant beneath his, moving with him until they broke apart reluctantly.

"I will be having lunch in the mess tomorrow with Icheb. If you can join us…"

"I'll do my best to be there." Another quick kiss and he left, more determined than ever to solve this mysterious attack quickly.

[Ready Room]

Several hours later and the evidence wasn't looking good. Not that it really had the potential to be anything other than bad. Chakotay, Tuvok and Janeway gathered in her ready room to go over what evidence had been gleaned.

Chakotay in particular found the results aggravating. He didn't like what it pointed to. "Harry's found evidence that someone tampered with the holodeck sensor logs. Several files have been deleted."

"Any signs of an outside intruder?" It seemed strange to hope for an alien stowaway, but that's just what Janeway did. Chakotay's darkened expression wasn't encouraging.

"No, nothing."

Tuvok, ever practical, decided to squash the suggestion before they wasted too much time pursuing ghosts. "I believe that a member of this crew is responsible."

It made no sense. Of all the people on Voyager, she'd pick Tabor as almost the last person to be attacked, a glance at Chakotay's expression supported her thoughts. "Tabor was well-liked. What's the motive?"

"I have one suspect. Crewman Jor."

If he hadn't been so strained and offended by the suggestion, Chakotay would have laughed out loud at that. "I find that hard to believe. I've known her for a long time. She and Tabor were friends."

"Close friends," Tuvok acknowledged. "She had access to his quarters."

Chakotay grew irritated, not liking the slander against two of his own close friends and people he knew to be upstanding officers. Besides, he'd been under the impression their relationship was going quite well. "A close relationship is hardly a crime."

"It is my experience that emotional involvements often lead to unpredictable behaviour."

Feeling the comment came a little too close to home and held more Vulcan bias than was fair, Chakotay's hackles rose. "That's an opinion, not evidence."

"There may be other suspects," Tuvok conceded easily. "I intend to question all crew members who had recent contact with Tabor."

This at least was something Chakotay could help with and use as an excuse to escape to cool off. "I'll check the internal sensors. See what else I can find."

Somewhat perplexed at the personal way Chakotay had taken Tuvok's suggestion, Janeway let him go without comment. She contemplated calling him back, but instead turned to Tuvok to review the leanings of his investigation.

[Bridge]

Chakotay left Janeway and Tuvok to finish their discussion, settling into his seat to review internal sensors. In his anger and determination to solve the mystery, he forgot yet again to make an important call.

[Mess Hall]

Seven and Icheb sat for lunch a little later than the rest of the crew. Their timing was deliberate, chosen so that the mess was almost empty. It meant they could have a private conversation and they would both feel comfortable without the press of the noon crowd.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Icheb asked.

"No." Seven dragged her gaze from the doors and back to her companion. "Why do you ask?"

"You have looked at the doors approximately five times in the past two minutes."

"I thought someone might be joining us, but I was clearly incorrect." Seven sighed. "Will you be joining me in astrometrics this afternoon?"

"No, I have research to conduct for a history paper."

"Very well." She took a bite of Neelix's casserole without really tasting it. Despite assuring Chakotay she wasn't upset that he forgot lunch the day before, Seven was disappointed now.

"Seven, I've been intending to talk to you about something."

She dipped her head, indicating Icheb continue.

"You don't have to supervise me anymore."

Seven frowned. "The Doctor insisted we both consume sufficient nutrients and regenerate every night since our surgery."

"Yes, but he has given us both a clean bill of health. I enjoy our time together, but you can spend time with someone else if you choose."

"Are you attempting to let me down gently? I believe that is supposed to be reserved for the breakup of romantic relationships."

"I can compose a 'Dear John' letter if that would be easier." They smiled at each other, amused, but Seven soon sobered.

"I don't want you to become ill. Without a cortical node…"

"I am fine, Seven." Icheb's expression became teasing. "Someone else needs your attention more."

Instead of denying it, Seven nodded. "I will attempt to take your advice into consideration." Of course, it was difficult to follow such advice when Fate seemed intent on denying them an opportunity.

Author's Note: To those who have been reviewing such kind things and the other authors on this site... Thank you. I wholeheartedly appreciate you.


	11. Chapter 11

**Undercurrents**

The Doctor frowned over the still forms of Jor, Tabor, and Yosa. Their unconsciousness was perplexing. "If this keeps up, I may have to open a special coma ward."

Janeway didn't bother trying to smile at his joke. Even one officer attacked was a serious matter. Three meant she was developing a serious stress headache.

Chakotay found it more than just perplexing. He confronted Janeway with the first thing that jumped out at him, the thing that had him on edge since the first attack. "Take a look at their names. Tell me if anything strikes you." 

Janeway did and was surprised. "Former Maquis."

"It's either a coincidence, or they're being singled out." It was clear by the tone of his voice which option he thought it was.

Janeway shook her head, refusing to believe any of the crew would be so narrow-minded. "There hasn't been any hostility between the Maquis and the rest of the crew for years."

"Maybe someone on your crew couldn't put the past behind them."

"My crew?" She really didn't like the implication despite his mild tone. It surprised her, this slip, since she had forgotten to see the Maquis as anything other than their crew. If Chakotay hadn't pointed out that they were all former Maquis, she would have overlooked the link.

"Our crew," he amended. Still, he was unable to forget the feeling of having to amalgamate his crew with the Starfleet one, the bitter pill it was to conform and force beliefs he didn't hold onto those of his Maquis crew. It was a feeling he thought had gone away, but it began to poke and prod him with the attack on Tabor and now Jor and Yosa.

Choosing to set the conversation aside for later, and unaware of the conflict brewing in her commander, Janeway turned to the EMH. "Are you any closer to a diagnosis, Doctor?"

[Mess Hall]

Chakotay gathered the remains of his crew – former crew – and advised them of the situation, all too aware of the division this incident could create.

Chell, always outspoken and often overly critical, was the first to speak. "What is it you expect us to do?" 

"Stay alert. Report anything suspicious to Commander Tuvok."

"I'd rather report to you, if it's all the same." A few nods from around the room supported Chell's opinion. A few voices rose from around the room, not many saying anything pleasant. Though he'd never admit it, Chakotay was proud of their loyalty even as he worried how easily divided they were from their Starfleet comrades.

B'Elanna alone tried to calm the mass and talk some sense into the angry, frightened group. "Oh, come on. We put our differences aside seven years ago. It's ancient history."

Chell was not so easily calmed, especially with Chakotay providing no hard defence for Tuvok or the Starfleet crew. Chakotay's strained expression alone was enough to stir repressed feelings in the Maquis. "Maybe history is repeating itself."

"Look," Chakotay broke in feeling the speculation, "the truth is, we don't know what we're up against. But the last thing we need right now is an outbreak of paranoia. Now until we get to the bottom of this, I want you all to carry hand phasers. Nobody goes anywhere alone."

The group broke up, each going their own way, but B'Elanna approached Chakotay. Her brows pressed together and her lips were a thin line of conflict.

"What is it, B'Elanna?"

She ignored his sharp tone, taking it for stress. "You don't really think this is about Starfleet vs Maquis, do you?"

He sighed, but could neither confirm nor deny it. "I don't know. To be honest, I wish I could say it's not, but with all the victims being Maquis…"

"It could still be coincidence."

"I hope so. I really hope so." He watched the last person leave. "I never forgot where we all came from and I didn't expect anyone else to either, but I thought we were all friends enough that our differences didn't matter."

"We are friends. We are one crew." She considered all the crewmen who worked under her in engineering, the way random groups would gather for hikes and games on the holodeck, how they'd risked their lives for each other. Conviction filled her. "Whoever is doing this is not in their right mind."

[Corridor]

"I want you to take this."

Seven, alone with Chakotay in the hallway, eyed the phaser he held out. "I don't understand."

"I want you to be safe."

"I thought the culprit was only attacking former Maquis."

"So far."

"Chakotay, this seems extreme." She also didn't like the look in his eyes. He wasn't himself. He was strained, clearly upset and she knew humans didn't think clearly under such circumstances.

"It might be, but there's a maniac out there attacking people and I don't want one of them to be you."

"I am not former Maquis, nor do I believe I require a weapon at all times."

"What if whoever is behind these attacks isn't just after Maquis? What if they're going for anyone not Starfleet?"

"There is no evidence of that. Besides, you are Starfleet now." Seven refused to take the phaser from him. "Chakotay, without proof of who the culprit is or why they are attacking, you are acting just as paranoid as you are afraid everyone else will be."

"I am not paranoid," he said, a strange white noise in the back of his head, a noise that had been creeping up since the first attack. It was like a fog obscuring what normally was so clear and steady. He fought it down. "I'm concerned."

"Chakotay, I don't like this division in the crew. I do not believe any of the Starfleet officers are responsible."

"There's no sign of an intruder. That only leaves one solution."

"It wouldn't be the first time an alien race has invaded Voyager undetected."

"No, that's true." That logic calmed him just a little.

The truth was that despite his suspicions and the way the evidence was pointing so far, he didn't like the theory that a Starfleet officer was responsible any more than Janeway did. Less did he like seeing the division in the crew the situation was creating. Sure, it had rankled at first to have no choice but cooperate with the Federation, an institution that had sat back and allowed so many atrocities to occur, but Voyager's crew wasn't a Federation. It was a collection of dedicated people, people with families and dreams interrupted thanks to the Caretaker, people who had been more welcoming and loyal to the Maquis than even the bitterest of them thought possible. He didn't hate any of them, had never hated them on an individual level, and didn't even see them as representations of the Federation anymore. So why couldn't he suppress the growing anger, the unrelenting feeling that he couldn't trust these Starfleet officers?

Seven watched the myriad of thoughts float across his face. He quietly contemplated her words at first, seeming to gentle and relax until a shadow crossed. She could see it darken his eyes and tighten his face into a scowl.

"What is it?"

Chakotay ducked his head, some unconscious belief that more attacks were eminent taking hold. He took her arm and forced the weapon into her hand. "Take the phaser."

Before Seven could respond, he strode away. She watched him, concerned and a little afraid. He was not acting like himself at all and it unnerved her.

She turned the phaser over in her hand, wondering if he was right about the need for it. He was clearly worried and despite her fear that he wasn't acting like himself, there was nothing to indicate the change was from anything other than stress and worry.

 _No, I'll return it to the armoury._ Carrying a weapon around her colleagues meant she didn't trust them and would likely not help them trust her. Cohesiveness was key to a working collective, especially one as strained as Voyager was at that moment.

[Corridor]

Chell and B'Elanna walked to engineering, Chell continuously looking over his shoulder. 

"Stop it," B'Elanna huffed. "You're making me nervous."

Chell resisted another look. "It doesn't make sense. This ship, with all its sensors. How could five people be attacked without leaving a trace?"

"Good question. I expect Tuvok will be looking into that."

"Maybe it's a conspiracy. Ever since Voyager began sending data streams back home, Starfleet has known that almost a quarter of the crew is Maquis."

"So?" Once again B'Elanna cursed her luck at being paired with Chell.

"Maybe they think we're still dangerous." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Maybe they ordered the Captain to neutralise the threat."

"Yes, that's it." B'Elanna all but threw up her hands in exasperation. "She's putting us all into stasis. The comas are just a cover story."

Chell missed or ignored her sarcasm. "It would be easier than putting us all in the brig."

The turbolift opened and Seven, who was returning from the armoury, nodded to them both. B'Elanna gave a quick, strained smile.

Chell lingered a moment, watching Seven's confident strides. She seemed unperturbed by the possibility of attack and unconcerned that he and B'Elanna were sporting hand phasers. "It could be her." 

B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "Oh, please."

The doors closed.

"No, really, think about it. Why else would the Captain put so much effort into making her a member of her crew, teaching her to be human, trying to instill Starfleet ideals? What if she's been training Seven to obey?"

B'Elanna laughed. If he only knew that Seven was dating the former leader of their Maquis ship. It took everything she had not to throw that tidbit in his face. "Besides being a ridiculous idea, in what parallel universe do you think Seven obeys anyone?"

Chell shrugged, but didn't let it go. He continued on in the same vein until B'Elanna finally snapped and told him to shut up.

[Corridor]

Chakotay was not pleased when he stumbled upon Chell walking alone. "Crewman," he said loudly, making Chell jump and face him, looking like a child caught doing something naughty. "I remember ordering everyone to work in pairs. Where's your partner?" 

Chell, unhappy to be on the other side of Chakotay's glare stammered. "Er, she's – ah – ah..." 

He wasn't in the mood for this. "Who's your partner?"

"Lieutenant Torres," he said, finally understanding the human saying of being caught between a rock and a hard place. "I told her we shouldn't split up, sir, but she said she could handle herself. You know how stubborn she can be." 

Chakotay sighed to himself. Of course, B'Elanna would be the one to break the rules first. "I have a vague idea. Do you know where she went?" 

[Cargo Bay Two]

Chakotay entered the dark cargo bay, the hairs on the back of his neck rising with the lack of movement. "B'Elanna?"

Ominous silence answered.

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Torres."

"Lieutenant Torres is in Cargo Bay two."

That meant she was here, but where and why wasn't she answering? Of course, he already knew the answer. He found her without too much trouble, in a heap on the floor.

He reached to check her pulse and a bit of movement behind him caught his attention. With relief, he saw it was Tuvok. "Help me get her to Sickbay."

"This is a holy time."

"What?" Looking closer, he noticed Tuvok's gaze was all wrong, vacant and cold. Chakotay drew his phaser, but Tuvok was faster. He connected with the wall, feeling dazed. "Security to Cargo Bay two."

The fight finished quickly with Chakotay caught off guard and dazed. Tuvok fought the Commander without breaking a sweat and held him tight, initiating a mind meld.

It was so easy to reach the pre-programmed thoughts Teero implanted in the Commander that Tuvok would later wonder how Chakotay had not simply snapped years earlier and initiated a mutiny on his own. Not every member of the Maquis had been subject to Teero's techniques since he'd only had access to so many people. Chakotay and Tuvok were just two and only Tuvok had the ability to activate Teero's plan. The programming was strong and already close to the surface, brought to the forefront of the Commander's mind thanks to Teero's ingenuity. Yes, Teero had known what he was doing and tied the programming to emotions, the downfall of all creatures. The anger and fear Chakotay had felt since the first attack had ignited the programming, bringing it within Tuvok's reach.

[Sickbay]

With the attack on B'Elanna and Chakotay, Janeway's concern increased exponentially. Neither of them were the sort to be caught unawares and both were skilled fighters. How could this happen? It was beyond unnerving. It was outright alarming. She did all that she could think of, but even so she felt she could only wait for the next attack.

Seven was considered one of the essential staff allowed more leeway than many others on Voyager. Normally such freedom would not have mattered overmuch to her, but with the knowledge that Chakotay had been attacked and was lying in sickbay, she was grateful for the chance to visit.

"Seven," the Doctor greeted her with surprise. He automatically reached for a tricorder. "Are you feeling all right?"

"I am functioning within normal parameters." She glanced at Chakotay and B'Elanna, who lay near one another. They were still and looked surprisingly peaceful, nothing to betray the violence of their attack.

"Their vital systems are normal," the Doctor advised softly. A hint of sadness crept into his voice as he watched the way Seven looked at Chakotay.

Seven, oblivious to the Doctor's pained expression, moved to stand at Chakotay's side. She wanted to reach out and comfort his still form, but the Doctor was watching and he wasn't the only one in sickbay. Tom stood with his wife and Harry was talking quietly with him.

"We should go," Harry said. "If we're going to figure out who's doing this, we'll need to get that image clearer."

Tom shook his head. "You know as much as I do, Harry. I'm not going anywhere right now."

Harry, realizing there was no point in arguing, nodded and left. He spared a curious glance at Seven, but concluded she was there for one of her regular maintenance appointments.

Tom glanced over at Seven as well, but quickly turned back to B'Elanna, having no room in his thoughts for anyone else.

The Doctor gave a soft sigh and left the two couples to themselves, finding refuge in research behind the walls of his office.

Tom's back was to her. Taking advantage of the lack of attention, Seven leaned down and pressed a kiss to Chakotay's forehead. "I love you."

She surprised herself with this little, unwitnessed confession, but once the words were out, she knew it was true. Despite the shortness of their courtship, despite the few times he'd forgotten to tell her he was too busy to meet her for a lunch date, despite her original beliefs on intimate relationships, she was emotionally bound to him. Attachments of such magnitude were new to her, but that didn't mean she was completely ignorant of their existence or how they were supposed to feel. There was only one description for her enjoyment in his presence and the loss she felt in his absence.

There was, of course, no answer from her partner.

His forehead, too often scrunched up with strain, was already smooth as he lay in oblivious unconscious. She traced its plains with her palm, satisfying her need to feel his life pulsing, and her desire to be close.

Tom was, since it was a legitimate shift in sickbay for him, now moving from one patient to the other. He checked their vitals and ensured they were receiving what they needed to stay alive. In a rare bout of sensitivity, he even ensured he gave his Commander an extra moment or two with the tall blonde visitor and didn't even consider talking about the tender moment he witnessed.

She knew it was silly to bother, but Seven told the unconscious Chakotay about her day, about having lunch with Icheb and what he'd said. She told him she was missing him and that she already had plans for when he woke up. She pressed another quick kiss to his forehead as unregulated sorrow welled to the surface.

Seven paused as a strange click and whirring sound broke the moment. It disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving her unharmed but confused.

"Seven?" Tom had given them as much time as he could without standing in a corner twiddling his thumbs.

"Goodnight, Lieutenant." Seven moved away and escaped sickbay before he could see the weakness in her eyes.

Tom, to give him credit, saw the hint of tears and the hesitation to leave Chakotay's side, and yet he only felt empathy.

Seven hesitated in the hallway, wishing to say a more proper goodbye despite how illogical it was to speak to a comatose person. Wiping away a tear or two, she forced herself back to work.

[Sickbay]

Chakotay sat up and looked around, confused and disoriented to find himself in sickbay, but put the pieces together quickly. A part of him was disappointed to not see Seven there, but he rationalized she must be working. After all, they weren't officially a couple and it would raise questions if she was at his bedside all the time. He also had no idea how long he'd been out.

Tom approached with a medical tricorder.

"How long?"

"Twenty-nine hours." Tom took a step back as Chakotay sought out B'Elanna one bed over. "She woke up just before you did."

Janeway came up then, her expression so strained she was almost the harsh, stony captain he'd first met years ago. "They've all recovered. We don't know why."

"Do we know who—"

"Tuvok." 

That was a real surprise. He must have misheard. "Tuvok?"

Janeway didn't even nod she was so tense. Her words were stilted and strained. "He's in the brig. Apparently, he's being manipulated by some form of mind control. Can he leave, Mister Paris?"

Tom didn't see why not. "But he should wear one of these," he said, placing a portable monitor on Chakotay's neck.

Chakotay winced as the piece of cold metal was pressed to his neck, but the minor discomfort was forgotten as Kathryn leaned closer.

"There's something I want to show you."

[Astrometrics]

Seven was startled and happy to see Chakotay enter astrometrics, but hid her feelings in her usual, informal nod since Captain Janeway was with him and returned her gaze back to the large screen. She expected him to stand next to her, as had become their habit. It was therefore strange and slightly hurtful when he stood on the other side of Janeway and all but ignored her.

"Play the clip," Janeway said with a curt nod to Seven.

Seven nodded, tapping a command so that Tuvok's son – Sek, she believed was his name – appeared on the large screen. Having never seen the boy before, Seven could nonetheless see the family resemblance.

"Exo-linguistics always seemed a little too theoretical to me. I've decided to study musical composition instead. I would have sent you my latest polytonal construct, but they wouldn't give me enough room in this datastream. Maybe next time, I can."

At a look from Janeway, Seven paused the recording.

Chakotay was confused, wondering what this could have to do with the attacks. "A letter from his son."

"We found another signal embedded in the message. A letter within a letter."

Seven played the clip again, this time with commands to show the hidden message. Sek's image disappeared to show an older Bajoran male.

"This is a holy time. B'tanay," the male intoned, "the time of awakening. Return to that dark place from which all life springs."

Seven didn't know who the man was or what he meant by the message, but she didn't like the intensity of Chakotay's expression as he gazed up at the screen. It was as though he was meeting an old nemesis and yet there was no hatred, no anger, just a penetrating stare. "The signal is calibrated to correspond with Vulcan synaptic frequencies," she explained, hoping it would break his stare. "Tuvok wouldn't have been consciously aware of it."

Chakotay didn't even hear her. "Teero."

Janeway looked at him sharply, wordlessly asking for an explanation.

"Teero Anaydis. He was a Bajoran Vedek. He worked with the Maquis."

"Doing what?" 

"Counter-intelligence." _He must have been good too if he got to Tuvok_ , thought Chakotay. He wondered just when Teero would have had access to Tuvok. The only time he could think of was while Tuvok was on the Valjean and they'd stopped to get intel from him. "He was thrown out for experimenting with mind control. He thought it was a good way to recruit agents."

"Well, apparently he was successful at recruiting our Tactical Officer." The coldness of her tone was enough to show just what she thought of this. "These incantations and symbols, they must have triggered something in Tuvok, preconditioned behaviour, instructions." 

"I should've known you'd show up again."

"Commander?" Like Seven, it finally struck Janeway just how strangely Chakotay was looking at this Teero Anaydis. He hadn't so much as glanced away for a moment.

"Teero was a fanatic. He'd go to any extreme for the Maquis. He called the rest of us traitors for rejecting his ideas, swore he'd fight the war on his own if he had to."

Seven broke in, concerned by what the man's intentions might be. "Why instruct Tuvok to mind meld with Voyager's Maquis thirty-five thousand light years from Earth?"

"I'd like Tuvok to take a look at this message," said Janeway. "Maybe it'll jog his memory." She turned to Seven. "Try to decode those symbols."

Again expecting Chakotay to acknowledge her in some way, Seven turned to him, but he immediately began working, his stiff stance clearly telling her he didn't want to talk. As she watched him work, she felt a knot in her stomach. His behavior was not normal, but if he wouldn't speak to her, she would be helpless to figure out what was going on.

"I am glad you are awake."

"Thank you."

She wanted to tell him that she visited, but his coldness quashed that impulse. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"I can make us dinner later."

"No, thank you."

Stricken and surprised by his brushoff, Seven turned back to her own work. Her heart physically hurt – a strange sensation she wouldn't have believed to be possible – to think the relationship was over just as she realized the depth of her own feelings.

There was the strange mechanical sound again, only disappearing when she took refuge from her heartache in work and the cold comfort that whatever ended his interest in her was not her fault.

They worked in silence for what seemed like forever to Seven until Tuvok called for Chakotay.

"Go ahead."

"Pagh'tem'far, b'tanay." 

At the words Chakotay's shoulders straightened and the fog in his mind lifted. Everything since he woke in sickbay was suddenly clear. "Understood."

Without a backward glance or farewell, he left astrometrics, leaving a confused Seven behind him.

[Ready Room]

Teero's programming was done well and in less than a half hour Voyager was under Maquis control. As part of their defiance of Starfleet rule, they changed from their uniforms to their rogue clothing.

Seven, who was one of a very few crewmembers not stunned during the initial takeover, was escorted directly to the ready room. She glanced around at the Maquis controlling the bridge, but didn't speak to them as she was led away. There was no point when they were under such persuasive mental programming. She understood that now.

"Commander," Seven greeted Chakotay when she entered. He sat at the desk, alone in the ready room. He had not been a captain for several years, but she couldn't help thinking how naturally he stepped into the role, as though he belonged. Too bad this was not his ship and he wasn't in his right mind.

"It's Captain now." He stood, moving around the desk and dismissing her escort with a nod of his head.

"Until you realize your actions are the result of mental programming by a radical."

"Radical. Visionary. It's all semantics and perspective. The point is I'm in charge of this ship."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"You're not Starfleet." Chakotay moved closer, showing he wasn't afraid of the ex-drone. "I know you're close to Janeway, but you could be a good fit in my crew."

"How so?"

"You're a good worker, strong, intelligent, independent, and you value efficiency. If we're going to operate this ship with a reduced crew, we'll need people like you."

Seven, however, already knew her answer. "No, thank you."

[Astrometrics]

Unlike the rest of the crew, Seven was escorted to astrometrics since her work could only benefit the Maquis. Besides, she didn't technically have quarters to be confined to. If she were to be left in the cargo bay, she could do just as much damage as at her post. An armed guard ensured she could make no move to escape or help her fellow crewmembers.

[Ready Room]

Janeway watched Chakotay hand a phaser over to Tuvok and felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest. "Tuvok, don't."

Tuvok, keeping his thoughts to himself, raised the phaser without hesitation. He fired as Chakotay commanded, but nothing happened. He eyed the weapon and handed it over when Chakotay reached for it. "This phaser is defective."

Chakotay nodded to the guards. "Take her back to the brig."

A little too relieved to make much of a fuss, Janeway let the guard take her out of Chakotay's deranged sight. 

"You passed." Chakotay smiled and gestured for Ayala to go. "Now, we've got some tactical issues to review. I want to re-route all weapons control to my console."

It was his chance. Tuvok once again grabbed Chakotay when he was distracted and engaged a mind meld.

[Bridge]

On the bridge shortly after, the Maquis were ready to shuck off their Starfleet oppressors.

"Kim and Paris engineered a little breakout on deck six," said B'Elanna. There was no familiarity in the way she spoke of them, nothing to suggest she was married or in love with Tom anymore. Like Chakotay's budding relationship with Seven, any feelings she had for Tom were washed away in the clarity of Teero's activated programming. "We've contained them all behind a forcefield."

Jor, normally so sweet and kind, didn't hesitate in her response. "We should begin the evacuation."

"Start beaming them down. Begin on deck two, section zero one." It didn't occur to her that she was marooning her friends and family, people who had risked their lives for her and vice versa. No, it was out of her control.

Chakotay, followed by Tuvok and cleared of Teero's programming, entered the bridge. "Belay that order. Tuvok informed me that this planet has an unstable atmosphere. Go to astrometrics and scan for an alternative."

"What are you talking about? There's nothing wrong with the atmosphere."

Chakotay knew his window of opportunity was limited and he was already out of sorts from the two mind melds he'd endured. So, he wasn't as convincing as he would otherwise have been. "We don't have time to debate this."

"I can scan from here." B'Elanna was no fool even under mind control. She saw Chakotay's nervous glance to Tuvok and became suspicious. "Chakotay, what's going on?" Understanding dawned on her and she moved to draw her weapon, but she was too slow.

A massive headache from the mind melds was already on him, but Chakotay was still alert enough to see his acting hadn't sufficed. He drew his weapon and so did Tuvok.

[Ready Room]

Janeway and Chakotay, naturally, needed a long meeting to work out what had happened. They met in her ready room. Chakotay explained what he could remember about being attacked and brainwashed. Though the Vulcan was not his favourite person in the universe, Chakotay made sure to give Tuvok as much credit as he could for remedying the situation. He did, after all, deserve the credit.

"You know," Kathryn leaned back in her seat, "Tom suggested a movie night for the crew."

"Dare I ask what movie?"

"Something about a swamp monster I think. Interested?"

Chakotay smiled, but had to decline. "There's something long overdue that I have to deal with. I might see you there though."

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Seven took a deep breath before pressing the chime. The doors slid open at the owner's command and Seven was pleasantly surprised.

"It's probably not up to your standards," Chakotay, in civilian clothes and tending to the last details of their dinner, warned her, "but I hope you like it."

Seven looked around and the pain of his previous snub was forgotten. It had, after all, been made while he was under mind control. The smell of spices enriched the air, making her mouth water. The table was set for two with candles. Flowers were placed all around the room.

"Chakotay…" She was at a loss for words.

"Well, I –" He looked up from the stove, seeing Seven for the first time in her chosen dress. "Wow."

"Is it too much?" Seven smoothed her hands down the side of the purple dress, unsure if it was too revealing for such a date. Unused to having her legs bare, she'd chosen to include leggings, but the top dipped low to reveal more of her shoulders and chest than she was used to.

"No," Chakotay had to clear his throat to speak properly. "No, you look beautiful."

"I'm glad you suggested this." She came up to the counter to watch him work. He handed her a glass of wine. It had less synthehol than usual because he remembered her intolerance for it.

"And I'm glad you agreed to it." He pulled the last of the dishes from the stove and set it down, turning to give Seven his full attention. "Listen, I'm sorry for the way I acted."

Seven hushed him simply by reaching over the counter to place her hand on his. "You were not in control of your actions. If you do not judge me for my past infractions, then how can I judge you?"

He squeezed her hand in response, glad she was able to so easily forgive. He didn't fully remember what he'd done, but he knew enough to realize it wasn't gentlemanly.

Despite his disclaimer, dinner was deemed delicious by them both. Seven insisted on helping clean up, the two of them working in sync.

"This is a pleasant rarity," Seven said as the last dish was put away.

"What is?"

"Being able to complete a date without interruption."

Chakotay smiled. "Computer, music." A slow dance number started and he took Seven's hands. "Who says it's over?"

"Chakotay?" He held one hand, guided her other to his shoulder and then placed his on her hip. She was in shorter heels than normal so she didn't come right up to her usual height.

"It might not be a ballroom, but," the hand on her hip pressed her closer so that she was flush against him, "that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves."

The memory of her first, mangled date intruded. It was the last time she'd danced. "Chakotay, I'm not sure this is wise."

"What do you mean?" He began to move, guiding her with gentle pressure on her back.

"I am untrained in this activity. The last time I attempted it with a human, I injured him."

"Funny, because you're doing it right now." He chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "So, who did you dance with?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just wondering if I should be jealous," he said with a teasing glint.

She thought back on that date, which seemed a lifetime ago. Lieutenant Chapman had been exceedingly kind, not even breathing a word of their failed date to his peers. However, she could not have loved anyone back then, not with her humanity still so new and her understanding of it so limited.

"Seven?" At her contemplative silence, he began to wonder if he really should be jealous.

"I apologize." She shook her head a little, clearing her thoughts. "No, he was admirable, but there is no competition."

"Well, that's good to hear." He grinned, but she was still somewhat lost in thought. "Hey, what is it?"

Forcing herself out of memory and rumination, she smiled. "Nothing."

"None of that. Talk to me?"

"I was thinking of how much I've learned on Voyager. I feel like two different people."

Instead of laughing or giving her empty platitudes, Chakotay gave this statement serious thought. "You've come so far," he agreed. "You're nothing like the angry, disconnected ex-drone you used to be, but you've remained the same in essentials."

"How so?"

"You might have learned about humanity, but the basics of who you are have never changed. You were always loyal, independent, striving to better yourself."

"Would you ever have guessed when we first met that we'd be here?" The question was rhetorical and somewhat amusing to her, given how differently they viewed each other now from that first day. However, she felt Chakotay shudder.

"The possibility wouldn't have entered my wildest dreams. When I think how close you came to being killed…" Indeed, it was only by chance and Borg strength that she had been able to hold on and prevent herself from being blown into space. He held her closer, pressing a kiss to her cheek. It had been a very close thing.

"I believe our relationship would be dubbed the definition of irony."

Chakotay chuckled. "Yes, you're right about that, but I love you anyway."

Though the music continued, a new song starting up, Chakotay and Seven froze. It was the first time he'd said he loved her and it had simply slipped out without real thought.

"I'm…" He didn't really know what to say. He couldn't take it back because he couldn't and he didn't want to.

"I love you too." A strange sound, like the click and whirring of a machine tried to grab her attention, but she ignored it.

"You don't have to say it just because—"

"You were unconscious."

"What?"

"When you were in sickbay, unconscious, I visited you. I realized how much I missed your company. When you were under Teero's programming—" She broke off, not wanting to dwell on the heartache she felt when he ignored her. "We haven't been together long, but you are important to me, Chakotay."

Moved by her confession, Chakotay couldn't resist a short, but sweet kiss. "You're important to me too, Seven." He leaned his forehead against hers, smiling now. "I really do love you."

"And I love you." She returned his smile, finally feeling the knot in her stomach release and vanish as she leaned in to meet his lips.

[Ready Room]

Captain Janeway was having a good morning. She'd gotten enough sleep, which was rare, had a pleasant shower, and was just settling down to a good cup of coffee in her ready room. It had been a few days and the reports from around the ship were indicating that everything was getting back to normal after the brief Maquis takeover. Yes, the morning was going very well.

The door chimed.

"Enter." She looked up from the report she was reading and smiled to see Commander Chakotay and Seven. "Good morning."

Chakotay glanced at Seven, who was retreating into her Borg habit of icy stillness to hide her nerves. She managed a slight nod, a muscle in her jaw twitching and probably stopping her from speaking.

"We have something to tell you."

Unlocking her jaw took some mental effort, but Seven managed it, unwilling to make Chakotay do this alone. "We have begun an intimate relationship."

Janeway's initial thought was that she'd misheard or it was a joke. A long look at the two, however, confirmed she'd heard correctly and they were perfectly serious. She was at an utter loss for words, hardly believing what she'd heard. She looked from one to the other several times, the silence stretching as she tried to absorb this information.

"We want to keep it private for now, though." Chakotay couldn't help being somewhat amused by Janeway's obvious confusion. As much to see Janeway's reaction as to have the pleasure of the physical contact, Chakotay reached the short distance and took Seven's hand. "It's still fairly new, but you should be aware."

"Of course, I – I mean, it's certainly – What?"

"Captain?" Seven began to worry it was too much to hope for Janeway's blessing.

"I'm sorry." Janeway gave herself a mental shake. "It's just unexpected. How long?"

"About three months," Chakotay said.

"Months?" Her eyes, already wide, got larger still.

Chakotay nodded. "It's not a fling," he warned. It wasn't something she'd never hear about again.

"No. No, it wouldn't be, not knowing you two." Of that she was certain. They were so steadfast when they came to a decision that they wouldn't settle for anything other than commitment. She eyed them, slowly regaining her footing. "And you're really settled on this?"

"Yes." They both answered immediately, making Janeway have to smother a smile.

"Well, then congratulations. I trust this won't interfere with your work and of course you won't be going on away missions together." She watched them both nod at this. "As to it being private, I'll keep it to myself."

"Thank you, Captain." The tension drained away from Seven. She could see Chakotay likewise relax. They smiled at each other, their biggest worry now over.

Janeway waved them out of her office, having to take a deep breath to regain her equilibrium when they were gone.

[Cargo Bay]

Seven looked over her reflection sharply, critically. The red dress was striking and her favourite shade of red, but it was even more revealing than the last outfit she'd donned for a date.

Despite her hesitation, she had chosen this dress with care and for a purpose. Seven had a goal and tonight she was going to do something about it.

As much as she enjoyed the romantic but chaste time spent with Chakotay, Seven wanted more. Thanks to all the interruptions the Delta Quadrant threw at them, their progress was made even slower with Chakotay's determination to not rush things.

Seven knew he was going deliberately slow with her, restricting himself to kisses and caresses that were as teasing as they were promising. Given the trouble with her cortical node, she appreciated his consideration and was glad they hadn't forced physical intimacy, but she was ready and her patience for his restraint was done.

Since she didn't want to roam the hallways in the dress, she picked up the dessert she'd prepared and initiated a site-to-site transport.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Chakotay stepped out of the bathroom, still drying his hair. He hadn't started dinner yet since part of their date was going to be to cook together. His civilian clothes were already spread out on his bed. Seven would be there soon so he dressed quickly.

The kitchen already had the ingredients for their dinner out on the counters. He did one more check to make sure everything she'd listed out was there.

The whir of the transporter caught him off guard, but the figure quickly took on a pleasing form.

"Good evening." Seven easily spotted Chakotay in the kitchen. She placed the dessert on the counter next to him, smiling smugly as he openly stared at her.

"I – Ah – Seven, you look wonderful."

"Thank you." She joined him behind the counter. "Are you ready?"

"Um…" He was still having trouble thinking beyond the little red dress. Seven, however, took this as sufficient consent.

She looked over the counter full of foodstuffs. "Excellent work, Commander."

He chuckled, loving the teasing light in her eyes. "Thank you. What would you like me to do?"

"You slice the celery. I will start on the sauce."

"Yes ma'am."

They worked together for a short while, discussing their day and the Doctor's disappearance at the thieving hands of a Dralian named Gar. Voyager was hot on his tail, though. Seven was concerned for the Doctor, but had faith the crew would track him down quickly. Before putting the finishing touches on her outfit for their date, she'd even ensured the latest updates from astrometrics were sent to the bridge. Her greatest consolation over his kidnapping was that the Doctor was a valuable hologram and unlikely to be damaged by whoever ended up in possession of him.

"Here, is the sodium chloride sufficient for your tastes?" Seven held out a teaspoon of the sauce for him. He obligingly tasted it and pretended to frown.

"Hmm. Could use another point six milligrams. But you're the chef." Two could play at the seduction game. She might have surprised him with her appearance and sultry gazes, but he had his own tricks. He dipped a finger into the concoction and held it out to her. His cocked brow dared her to back away. Seven took his challenge with just a slight hesitation born of inexperience and sucked the sauce off his little finger.

"I concur," she said, her voice growing soft and sultry as she met his gaze. His eyes were dark and intense on her face.

There was the strange whirring sound again, but Seven ignored it.

It was too much. Caught in the game, Chakotay reached for her and with lightening speed Seven turned off the stove and was in his arms. His hands were no longer tame, his kisses unrestrained. Seven's hands snuck up his shirt, tracing the muscles in his back. She pressed into him, pushing him back towards his bedroom. He went willingly, dragging her against him every stumbling step of the way.

"Seven, we don't have to do this if you aren't –" He was cut off by Seven kissing him deeply.

Chakotay moved his lips to her collarbone, enjoying her sharp breath as his teeth grazed her throat and then her shoulder. He nudged the strap of the dress aside, dragging the material down her arm as he plied her shoulder with kisses.

The dress slid to the floor, leaving Seven feeling strangely exposed in just her lingerie. There was no time for nerves or hesitation, however, not when Chakotay's warm gaze held only affection and admiration. His warm hands ran over her arms and to her waist. She took hold of his shirt, helping pull it over his head. She had never seen him less than fully dressed. Taking a moment to simply admire him, she trailed her hands up his bare chest. She was so absorbed in this exercise that she failed to immediately notice his grin.

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

Seven gave a breathy laugh, pulling him onto the bed. "Not today." She kissed him. "I love you too."

He wove his fingers in her hair, holding her in place as their kisses became more passionate, their hands and lips moving to explore each other in heated fervor.

A click, the sound of machinery, and a sharp zap like electricity in her brain made Seven cry out in pain, reaching for her head.

"What? What is it?" Chakotay immediately pulled back.

She couldn't answer. Even as the pain dulled, the whirring sound continued and she felt her body giving in to the oblivion of unconscious. Dimly, she was aware of Chakotay calling her name.

[Sickbay]

"She's stable now, but I can't be sure what exactly happened," said Tom. Since Seven was still unconscious, he addressed Commander Chakotay.

It had been quite the shock for Tom to have his shirtless commanding officer transport into sickbay with an unconscious Seven of Nine wrapped up in a bedsheet. There was no need to ask what they'd been up to. Any jokes or teasing was quickly forgotten as he realized the severity of Seven's condition.

"Is it her cortical node?" Chakotay hovered over her bed, once again decent. While Tom had worked to stabilize Seven, Chakotay replicated a new shirt.

"Yes and no. It did start to shut down, but it seems to be working normally." Tom sighed as he read the results of his scans. "I'm nowhere near as knowledgeable about her Borg components as the Doctor, especially not technology as complex as her cortical node. I'll keep trying, though."

"All right." Until the Doctor returned, it would have to remain a mystery. Chakotay didn't like it, but there was little choice. "Thank you, Tom."

"I'll wake her if you can take her to the cargo bay to regenerate."

Chakotay nodded, standing back to give Tom room. "Of course."

Tom pressed a hypospray to Seven's neck. A second later her blue eyes opened groggily. "Chakotay?"

"Better," said Tom cheerfully. "Welcome back, sunshine."

"What happened?"

"Your cortical node began shutting down. I've stabilized it, but until we find the Doctor or I manage to interpret his notes on your physiology, I can't tell you why it happened."

"If it's not damaged…"

"It's not."

Seven was at a loss as well.

"The Commander is going to take you home to regenerate. You'll need a full cycle and if you experience anything else unusual, let me know."

Feeling too drained of energy to argue, Seven nodded her complaisance.

In a bout of pity, Tom patted Chakotay's shoulder and left them alone. He had all the scans he needed, just not the knowledge to interpret them.

"Come on." Chakotay helped her stand, holding the bedsheet around her as she wobbled a little.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Ruining our date."

Chakotay shook his head and kissed her cheek. "Don't be sorry. It's definitely not your fault." He kissed her again. "I'm just glad you're okay."

But even as he held her close and initiated the site-to-site transport to the cargo bay, she couldn't help thinking it was her fault. Who else had such problems?

[Mess Hall]

Neelix shuffled into the mess early the next morning to start preparing for breakfast. He was still feeling low. Eager to show off his spices with someone who finally seemed able to handle the harsher stuff, he'd doused their alien visitor's – the Dralian named Gar – meal with hot spice, enough so that he'd claimed to need to go to sickbay. From there Gar had met and possibly downloaded the Doctor. All this Neelix confessed to the Captain. She, naturally, consoled him and tried to make him understand that Gar was the sort to find opportunity anywhere. Neelix was not so easily convinced, unable to dispel the thought that his cooking really was the underlying reason the Doctor was kidnapped. He was, in fact, so wrapped up in thinking about it that he failed to notice Seven until the lights were on and he almost ran into her chair.

"Oh! Seven!" He clutched his heart. "You scared me."

"I apologize. It was not my intention." She returned to staring out the large windows.

"What are you doing, sitting here in the dark?"

"Thinking."

"Don't worry. We're going to get the Doctor back."

The corner of her lips lifted in a partial smile. "While I am concerned for him, that wasn't what I was thinking about."

"Okay." Neelix pulled out the seat next to her. "What then?"

"Intimate relationships."

"Oh." He wasn't really prepared for that.

"And the Borg."

That made more sense to him, though he wasn't sure what the connection between the two was. "Your implants giving you trouble?"

"Yes."

He patted her hand and made to stand up. "Well, don't you worry. Once we get the Doctor back, he'll fix you right up."

"That is the problem."

Neelix froze and settled back down. "What is?"

"There is always a new complication, another defective component." Her gaze fell to her left arm. It lay on the table, seemingly harmless, but it too could malfunction or worse. Even disconnected from the Borg for as long as she was, that single arm had the ability to assimilate everyone on Voyager. "I'll never be…"

"What? Seven?"

"Excuse me." She stood. "I need to start my shift."

"All right, but I'm always here to listen." He watched her leave, concerned and unsure what to do to help even though he could now see the lines her mind was drawing between intimate relationships and the Borg.

"Thank you." She left quickly, her head down and thoughts revolving around her unfinished statement. _I'll never be fully human. Chakotay doesn't deserve this._

The whirring sound started again, but she hardened her heart, pushing her emotions away and the sound faded. She realized now that strong emotions were causing the malfunction, but she didn't know why. It was extremely unusual and, she was realizing, very difficult to control.

[Bridge]

Chakotay didn't have time to personally visit astrometrics that day, but he sent Seven a short message asking if she was well enough for dinner later. Her response was disappointing, but understandable. She needed another full regeneration cycle so she would return to the cargo bay directly after her shift.

"Problem?" Janeway glanced over, noting her first officer's frown.

"No, nothing to worry about." He sighed and forced himself to focus on the task at hand. "Let's get the Doctor back."

[Sickbay]

Four days could apparently render many significant changes. The first thing the Doctor heard about when he returned to sickbay was Tom's one and only nighttime patient. He sighed. Of course, it had to be Seven. She was both the healthiest person on the ship and the most prone to critical illness. Not for the first time he cursed the Borg.

"Did they say what they were doing before her cortical node shut down?" The Doctor sat at his desk, reviewing Tom's notes on the incident while Tom stood at the door, eager to go for the night.

Tom shuffled a little uncomfortably. "Well, given the state they were in when they arrived, I didn't feel the need to ask."

The Doctor felt a pang of jealousy to recall that part of Tom's story, but their state of dress wasn't what he needed to know. "I mean, did she fall? Was there any injury that could have initiated the shutdown?"

"Ah, no, they didn't suggest anything like that happened and there were no signs of contusion or injury." He wondered if he should have asked if she hit her head on Chakotay's headboard, but thought that question would just have resulted in Chakotay's fist connecting with his face.

"Very well. Thank you for looking after things while I was gone."

"No problem. It's good to have you back, Doc." This was said with genuine happiness. He could now return to quiet evenings with B'Elanna.

The Doctor smiled briefly, his attention quickly going back to his work. He didn't even hear the swish of the door as Tom left.

[Sickbay]

Seven, who had an appointment with the Doctor anyway, was unsurprised to have him call her to sickbay a little earlier than originally scheduled. She'd braced herself for this. Lieutenant Paris would undoubtedly have told the Doctor about her visit to sickbay as soon as he returned. Now she would either have to explain her theory as to the cause or he would tell her his.

"I'm glad you're back, Doctor." Only the torturous hours of practicing manners with the Doctor allowed her to remember to greet him properly. She was, certainly, happy he was on board again and unharmed, but her nerves were frayed and strained to the breaking point.

It hadn't been 48 hours since the disastrous date with Chakotay and already she was realizing that the more she tried to stop thinking about it – about _him_ – the more her thoughts and emotions turned to the forbidden subject.

"Thank you, Seven. I admit it's exceedingly good to be home." He sighed as they gazed at each other, neither really wanting to begin what they knew would be a difficult conversation.

"You reviewed Lieutenant Paris' report on my medical emergency." Procrastination was inefficient and wouldn't change reality.

"Yes," the Doctor reached for a medical tricorder. "I'd like to do my own tests before I come to any conclusions, though."

"Of course." Seven obligingly went to the surgical bay and lay down. The bed's more sophisticated scanner rose to cover her torso and the Doctor stood at her head, running his tricorder over her forehead.

"Was there any injury prior to your collapse?"

"No."

"Anything unusual that preceded it?"

"I could hear a mechanical sound. Sometimes there was a brief pain in my head."

"Sometimes? This has happened before?"

"Yes, but not to the extent of the other night."

"Just the slight pain and sound?" She nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"They were minor and dissipated on their own."

"It slipped your mind?" He almost smiled at her nod. "And what were you doing when these episodes occurred?"

Seven hesitated.

"Seven?" A bit of pink tinged her cheeks. It was so rare for her to blush that the Doctor immediately drew a fairly accurate conclusion. "I'm a doctor. I can handle it."

"They were always in response to increased emotional stimulus."

"Emo—"

"Seeing Commander Chakotay in sickbay, comatose," she clarified. _When I thought our relationship was over._ "And when we were physically intimate."

To give him credit, the Doctor didn't bat an eye at the confirmation. "All right. Well, you seem to be in perfect health now." He retracted the biobed's scanner and she sat up. "You can continue your regular duties, but I'll suggest you refrain from any – um – activities that might trigger another episode. I'll contact you when I've finished my diagnostic."

She nodded somewhat stiffly, but before she could leave, the Doctor had his own request.

"Seven, I was wondering if you'd mind doing me a favour? I'd like you to give me a check-up."

"Have you been experiencing problems?" Despite the distraction of her inner anxiety, Seven didn't hesitate to assist him.

"No, but, I've been off the ship for a while, interfaced with an alien computer."

She checked his programming in the computer, a relatively simple process for her. "Your programme appears to be operating within normal parameters."

"Really? What about over the past several days?"

Though he had been away, his mobile emitter had logged his actions and uploaded them to Voyager's systems automatically upon return. She saw nothing to elicit concern. "There's no indication of diminished capacity."

"No problems with my ethical subroutines?"

"None." She was grateful for that since she too clearly remembered what happened the last time his ethical subroutines were removed.

"I see." Rather than making him feel more secure or at all relieved, he was forced to accept the reality of his own choices.

Seven quirked a brow as his shoulders visibly slumped. "You seem disappointed."

"While I was aboard that ship, I poisoned a man."

"Deliberately?" That was very unlike him. 

"Yes, I was trying to force him to let me treat patients who were dying."

There was the hint of a smile in her expression, but she smothered it in light of how clearly upset he was by the event. "You were prepared to sacrifice an individual to benefit a collective."

"No offence, Seven, but I don't exactly aspire to Borg ideals." 

"You were hoping your behaviour was the result of a malfunction." She could understand that. She'd done many things she wished she could blame on someone or something else. Regret and guilt were two things she knew a lot about. Still, she couldn't lie. "I'm sorry Doctor, but I must give you a clean bill of health."

"Great." He shook his head a little, ashamed of himself.

Seven could see his disappointment, his shame, his natural distaste for what he'd done and yet she thought his actions, assuming his motives were as clear-cut as he said, were perfectly acceptable. "I am not a scholar, but I believe history has many examples of a similar philosophical nature. You cannot save everyone. That you must sometimes choose who you save is—"

"Is difficult enough, but I wasn't making a logical choice between two people to save."

"No, you were sacrificing one to save the many. You do not have to feel good about it, Doctor, but you will have to make peace with it and understand that sometimes choices are not about what is right but what is least wrong."

He stared at her in surprise. "Where did you learn that?"

"Commander Chakotay recommended reading some literature on philosophy." Leaving it at that, she gave him a brief smile and nod and then left.


	12. Chapter 12

**Pressing the Issue**

"Seven, wait."

She halted in the corridor, sighing at the familiar voice. This was apparently not going to be an easy day. "Commander."

He smiled at first. "We keeping things professional today?"

"Yes, Commander."

The smile faded. There was no humour in her expression. "What is it? Have I done something to upset you?"

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She prepared to start walking again, but he took her arm in a firm grip, not aggressive, but firm.

"Seven, I'm not an idiot. What is going on? Is this about the other night? If I did something wrong, I want you to tell me."

That he would automatically assume the problem was his own actions – as though they could ever have been anything other than pleasurable – just made it harder to brush him off. The mechanical sound was back. Only by taking a deep breath and closing her eyes was she able to find some control again.

"Seven?" He watched her calm herself and grew more concerned and more determined to get to the bottom of her behavior. "Seven, talk to me."

There was nothing to do but tell him the truth, or enough of it to end the conversation. "The Doctor has suggested until he finishes his diagnostic on my cortical node, that I avoid physical intimacy."

"That's it?" He was doubtful, but had a ready answer. "Well, that's fine. We can still have dinner together. I hear Neelix is making ravioli tonight."

It was difficult not to roll her eyes at his persistence.

He could see the refusal before she said a word and tried to pre-empt it. "I promise to be a gentleman."

"You have always been a gentleman," she assured him automatically. The truth was she didn't think she could control herself. Would she be able to resist touching his hand, kissing him good night? More importantly, would she be able to resist wanting to? She already knew the answer. And yet… "My shift ends at 18:00 hours."

"Good. I'll meet you at astrometrics." He moved as though to kiss her, but then thought better about it, remembering his promise. Seven, however, closed the gap on her own for a quick, sweet peck.

Despite her fear that her cortical node would react to her decision, it remained quiet and without pain. She supposed that the peaceful relief and simple happiness that settled on her at the prospect of still being able to see Chakotay and share a few simple embraces was not a strong enough emotion to cause her cortical node to malfunction.

It would either be a very good discovery, or a very bad one.

[Corridor]

Dinner went well enough, but the whole time Seven could feel the desire for something more intimate, and sense the same in him. It was torture to sit so close and yet feel so disconnected.

Icheb joined them, as did Naomi Wildman and Ensign Samantha Wildman. It made for a more dynamic conversation and a lot less flirting.

When they parted ways, alone in the corridors, his kiss lingered. He sighed, wanting more and Seven felt cruel to be the one to stifle his passion.

"I have to go."

Chakotay teased one last kiss from her. "I know."

 _This can't continue._ She turned back to watch his retreating form and sighed, wishing she were fully human and not this hybrid mishmash caught between worlds.

The doors slid closed, cutting off the brighter light of the corridor, bathing her only in the dark and green glow of the Borg regeneration units.

Seven prepared a few things for the next day and was just getting ready to regenerate when the Doctor entered the cargo bay. She could tell by his hesitant approach what he'd come to discuss.

"Doctor. You've come to deliver unpleasant news."

"Is it that obvious?" _Of course it is,_ he thought. He'd been stewing over it for hours, rechecking his data in the hope he was wrong.

"My cortical node?"

"I've completed my diagnostic. What you experienced was no malfunction. Your cortical node was designed to shut down your higher brain functions when you achieve a certain level of emotional stimulation."

"Clarify," she demanded, already taking refuge behind Borg dialect. It didn't help the pain in her chest, in her heart, but it helped her put on a brave face. 

"It appears to be a fail-safe mechanism to deactivate drones who start to regain their emotions. Knowing the Borg, it makes perfect sense." He was only surprised it wasn't set to be more sensitive. "Finding one's heart is the surest road to individuality. 

"I'm no longer linked to the hive mind and I have experienced strong emotions before."

"The technology's built into your node. It simply remained dormant, until now." Lying unspoken was that not too long ago Seven had received a new node, one that had belonged to Icheb, who had not yet tested the limits of his emotional reactions. Though he hadn't checked yet, the Doctor suspected the programming wasn't in her original node, making Icheb an unwitting Trojan horse yet again.

"Can you repair me?"

"Possibly." He was quick to offer a patch. "I've been thinking about a way to reconfigure the micro-circuitry."

 _Reconfiguration, removal, bypassing… It's always going to be something._

"I won't lie to you, Seven. It would entail multiple surgeries and the recovery might be difficult, but I believe we could eventually succeed."

 _This is inefficient, a waste of time,_ she thought, considering a lifetime of endless surgeries ahead of her. Still, she could have perhaps managed that if it weren't for her consideration of Chakotay's wellbeing.

 _He doesn't deserve this._ Chakotay deserved a partner who didn't require constant maintenance like a faulty replicator, someone who didn't require social lessons or practice dealing with social situations. He was a good man who didn't deserve to be tainted by association to her past misdeeds or have his future blackened by her Borg and human imperfections.

 _What if we go through all this trouble and it doesn't work?_

"I'll prepare the surgical bay. We can begin tomorrow morning." The Doctor was eager, gathering steam for the idea with her continued silence.

"No." _I'm not human, never will be and I should stop pretending otherwise._

The Doctor went to her, worried by her frozen, stiff stance. "Without it, you won't be able to continue your relationship with the Commander."

"I understand." She set the commands for her regeneration cycle. She took refuge in action, pushing aside the painful thoughts that threatened her sanity.

"Listen, I know this is a blow, but it doesn't have to be a step backwards."

"How many?"

"Pardon?"

"How many surgeries will I require in my lifetime? How many malfunctions and setbacks will I have to go through? It is a strain on me, but the Commander should not have to endure it as well. It is unethical to ask it of him. If I do not have the surgery, I will remain within appropriate limits." _I will not be tempted to continue the relationship and he can move on, find someone more suitable._

"That's the Borg in you talking. I know you don't believe that. As your physician, as your friend I'm asking you to let me proceed."

"I need to regenerate."

"Seven—"

Since she had no quarters and no bedroom door to slam, she cut him off the only way she could, by stepping into her alcove and falling into her regeneration cycle.

Her last thought before she gave in to oblivion was that what she'd told the Doctor would be easier said than done. She knew she owed Chakotay some sort of explanation and that it would have to be in person.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Having had a late shift the next day, Chakotay was surprised to have his door chime. He was even more surprised to have Seven enter. He was, however, far from disappointed. His exhaustion forgotten at the sight of her, he stood with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you tonight. Come in. Can I get you a drink?"

"No, thank you." She glanced away, finding it hard to look at him straight on. "I just came to speak with you, to thank you."

"Thank me?" His smile faded. Something was wrong. She was entirely too formal, stood too stiffly and had the same cold look she used to have when first disconnected from the Collective. He moved forward to meet her. She remained close to the door.

"The past few months have been memorable."

"To say the least." He smiled, hoping her stance would soften or that she would look him in the eye. She did neither. Alarmed, he reached for her hand, but she moved away. "You're ending this."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It is best for both of us."

"Seven, the past few months have been an important step forward for both of us. Don't throw that away." Realization struck him. "What did the Doctor say?"

"It is irrelevant. Our relationship cannot continue."

"If his diagnosis is what's making you think we shouldn't be together, then it's completely relevant. What did he say?"

"I'm sorry, Commander." She tried to back away, knowing if she told him the full truth he would continue to argue. 

"You're making a mistake." 

"No, I'm trying to correct one." She again tried to move away, but his voice was like a siren's, demanding her response, her attention, her heart to tug in his direction.

"Ask yourself why you want to end this," he said, gathering steam as he spoke. "Every time you move closer to your emotions, you back away. You're afraid of being too human, too vulnerable. I understand that, but don't you see how wonderful it can be too?"

"Yes, it can be... Our relationship was an error in judgement on both our parts."

"An error? Seven, we enjoy each others company, make each other happy, don't we?"

Seven hesitated, wishing to deny it so as to end the conversation quicker, but she was not in the habit of lying. "Yes."

"Then it wasn't an error. Being happy isn't a glitch in programming, it's something we all strive for every day. What would possibly make you think it's a problem."

"I've let my emotions control me, cloud my judgement and control my actions." Indeed, hadn't she already allowed this conversation to carry on too long just because she wanted to spend more time before terminating the relationship, perhaps even be talked out of it? "For both our sakes, I cannot allow that to continue."

"Control you?" She turned to leave, but halted as he spoke, giving him hope. "Seven, you started to date, not throw temper tantrums. I think you're afraid that embracing your humanity will make you weak, less than perfect. But think about what you stand to gain."

"It's irrelevant." Her voice cracked just saying it. 

"No, it's not," he said, pushing away the initial assumption she meant _he_ was irrelevant. Chakotay knew this was about something more than him. "Real intimacy with another person? Nothing's more relevant."

The whirling of her cortical node, now a well-known warning, sounded louder than ever.

"I have to go."

"Stay." He moved forward swiftly to take hold of her arms, not forceful, but enough to make her stop. "Talk to me, Seven!"

"I can't function this way!" She threw his hands off and turned away.

"What way? Being happy?" He peered closely at her, his darkened gaze pleading with her to think better of her decision. "I love you, Seven. You can't pretend our time together doesn't matter. Didn't it mean anything to you?"

"It's irrelevant." She headed for the door.

"Damnit, Seven!" He followed her, pulling her back from the door in a burst of temper. He didn't shout, but it was close. His eyes, normally so soft and easy to show warmth, were dark and frightening in his frustration. "You're not a drone anymore, you're human. If our relationship isn't relevant, then what is?"

"You are!" She snapped, the pain in her head was almost equal to the one in her heart now, making it difficult to think, nearly impossible to audit the words coming from her mouth. All that mattered was making him stop so she could escape, even if she spoke the truth. "I can't hurt you this way."

"You're hurting me now."

"It'll hurt you more to be with me!" The sound had reached its peak. This was the end, she was sure. Seven closed her eyes, feeling her implants respond to the cortical node's commands to shut down.

"Seven?" Chakotay could see electricity sparking over her optical implant again. He grabbed Seven's falling body before she hit anything and lowered her to the floor, calling for a medical transport to sickbay as he did so.

[Sickbay]

Before she even opened her eyes, she knew where she was. The firm surface of the sickbay bed was as familiar to her as her alcove. Voices. There were two voices above her, both raised in anger, but they didn't seem to be arguing. _Curious._

"…surgery."

"I can't. She already refused."

"Tell the Captain, force her. It's endangering her life!"

"You think I don't know that? The problem is it's only endangering her life under a single circumstance."

A sigh.

"We can't let this continue."

"I know."

"For her own sake—"

"I know."

"Can't you talk to her?"

"I tried. I told her this was dangerous, but she won't listen to me."

Seven opened her eyes and the voices stopped. She looked around and nearly groaned. Chakotay and the Doctor were next to her, peering down with a mixture of concern and frustration.

"How long have I been here?"

"Just long enough for the Doctor and me to have an enlightening conversation," said Chakotay. He looked less than pleased.

She sat up, doing what she always did when confronted: immediately put up her shields and attacked. "I was unaware that my medical files were open for public viewing."

"Don't you dare." Chakotay spoke calmly, but with an edge to it she'd never heard before. He wasn't just angry she'd kept yet another medical condition from. This was something else. "This isn't about confidentiality. It's about your safety and about you lying—"

"I didn't lie."

"—withholding important information," Chakotay switched with impatience. He turned to the Doctor. "Would you excuse us?"

"Fine, but warn me if that failsafe starts to activate," he said to Seven. As jealous as he was of the Commander, he knew the chances of convincing Seven to go through with the surgery were infinitely better if Chakotay was the one arguing the point. It was a hard thing for his ego to concede, but for Seven, he managed it.

"You know, I would have thought we'd be past this," Chakotay said when the Doctor was out of earshot. He ran a hand through his hair. "When your cortical node was failing, hiding your condition didn't help and it's not helping now. I thought we agreed to talk to one another, to not keep secrets."

"The Doctor told you about the surgery."

"I wish it could have come from you," he said, still in that disturbingly calm tone. Seven finally identified it as hurt. She'd hurt him by keeping her secret. She looked away.

"I'm sorry I hurt you."

"Why? Why did you keep it from me?"

"I knew you would have argued to allow the Doctor to proceed."

"Damn right I would have, and I will." He took a deep breath, calming himself. "Why don't you want to remove the failsafe?"

"It is—"

"If you say it's irrelevant, I swear I'll give you double shifts in the mess for a month."

"Because the failsafe will ensure I remain within required boundaries."

"What boundaries? I don't understand."

"It is inappropriate for me to continue in a relationship with you."

"But why?" Attempting to follow her logic and evasive answers felt like a child trying to understand the universe. He tried to prepare for any answer, but he was still surprised by her hushed confession.

"There will always be something to be repaired or removed, some risky surgery to repair a faulty component. It is better for you if we end this relationship before either of us becomes too attached and suffers for it."

"Seven…" He was at a loss.

"I will not be the cause of further discord in your life." She forced back a sob. "You shouldn't have to suffer because of me."

"Seven, anything could happen to either of us. That's the uncertainty of everyone's future. Besides, you're assuming you're not worth a little bit of heartache." He placed his hands softly on her upper arms, rubbing as he tried to sway her. "You don't want me to suffer, but the worst hurt is when I'm not with you."

Seven shook her head, but he didn't give her the chance to argue. 

"Yes, it's true." He smiled as she finally raised her eyes to his. "I'm a selfish being, Seven, and I love you more than I thought possible. You're stuck with me until you can come up with a better argument."

Seven allowed him to draw her closer, the whirring of her cortical node a faint warning. "Your career—"

"We're in the Delta Quadrant. How far up the chain do you think I'm going without murdering the Captain?"

"You deserve—"

"Who I want. I want you, regardless of what you think of yourself."

"Commander—"

"Chakotay," he corrected. "Please, let the Doctor operate." He sighed. This was the real argument, the ultimate truth of the situation. "Forget doing it for me. You need to do it for yourself, so you can be happy. Don't let the Borg win."

[Sickbay]

Seven woke slowly, wincing in pain at the bright lights.

"How do you feel?"

Sound was muffled, making it difficult to tell what the person was saying, let alone who it was who spoke. Her body felt heavy, her limbs too burdensome to lift, and her head throbbed as though someone put a spike through it.

"Seven?" The Doctor, concerned by her lack of response, ran a tricorder over her. Chakotay stood on the other side of the bed, watching with a frown. "Seven?"

A small groan was all she could manage.

"Doctor?" Chakotay found his voice, though it was heavy with strain.

"She's all right, just not yet adapted to the change in circuitry."

Chakotay nodded, his jaw locked in worry.

"I don't want to give her too much anesthetic or it'll be harder for her body to adapt to the changes. She'll have to come out of this naturally." He restrained a sigh. "You can stay with her if you like."

Chakotay nodded, already forgetting the Doctor's presence as he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Chakotay?" Her eyes still refused to adjust fully and her head ached to a degree beyond her description, but she felt her brain slowly adapt to the pain, the lights, and the noise. As she acclimatized, she began to recognize the two voices around her.

"I'm here." He looked up, wordlessly asking for privacy. The Doctor sighed irritably, but headed for his office. Chakotay turned his attention back to Seven, who gazed blearily up at him. "How do you feel?"

"Damaged."

"I know, I'm sorry. The Doctor says he can't give you anything more."

Seven tried to nod at this since speaking was laborious, but the movement only made her head hurt more.

Seeing her discomfort, Chakotay pressed another kiss to her forehead. "Try to rest. You'll feel better after some sleep."

Since it was already so difficult to keep her eyes open, staring at the lights, Seven let them drift shut and soon fell into slumber. Chakotay, who had quietly obtained leave from Janeway in order to be with Seven, settled into a chair at her bed. The lights were dimmed for Seven's benefit, but there was still enough light as Chakotay opened a book his sister had once recommended to him and began to read.

[Corridor]

Tom chased down his friend, too eager for his mail to wait for the official delivery. "There he is, the man of the hour."

Harry was not fooled by Tom's flattery, but he was too tired to play the game. "You sure are in a good mood."

"Well," there was no point dancing around the truth, "rumour has it you snared the latest data stream last night."

Harry took another swig of coffee. It didn't really help replace the sleep he'd lost, but it was better than nothing. "Technically, it was this morning. 02:00 hours, to be exact." 

"So, where's my mail, hmm?" He nudged his friend good-naturedly. "Oh, don't tell me you lost another one." 

Harry heaved an exasperated sigh. He was tired of this line of teasing, having heard it from almost every member of the crew for the past month. "It's not my fault. I didn't lose last month's data stream. It never arrived."

"So, what's the hold up this time?"

"The transmission was a little larger than usual. It's jammed the transceivers. Seven and I have been up all night trying to download it."

There was a time when Tom would have harassed Harry to no end about spending all night with Seven, but he was simply too eager for his mail to follow that line of teasing. "Harry, we can't go another month without mail."

"Oh, you won't." Harry was smug. "Trust me."

[Astrometrics]

Harry was impatient to have his promise vindicated. He turned to Seven eagerly. "Any luck?

Seven still had a bit of a headache from her first surgery, which was not helped by the late night of work. As a result, she was not in the mood to be pestered and replied stiffly. With a huff of irritation, she pulled up the information. "I've determined why we've been having difficulties." 

"A hologram." Harry brushed off his co-worker's grumpy tone. He was aware she'd had some sort of medical procedure and assumed she was still feeling the effects of it. Besides, her sometimes tough personality had never bothered him. "The transceiver wasn't designed to store photonic data. We have to get it out of there before it degrades."

Seven watched him take over a console with alarm. "What are you doing?" 

"Tying the transceiver into the holodeck's pattern buffer."

 _Humans._ "Those systems aren't compatible. You'll depolarise the relays," she said, aware he already knew that. 

"Starfleet wouldn't have sent this hologram if it weren't important," he said with certainty. He didn't look at her as he said this, but even if he had, her withering look would have had no effect on him. "I'm sure it's worth a few burnt-out relays." 

Seven wasn't so sure, but an explosion prevented her response.

"You've overloaded the transceiver."

Harry couldn't care less about the transceiver, his spirits too elevated by his success. No more teasing about losing the mail! "But I saved the hologram."

Seven rolled her eyes again. _Humans._

[Holodeck]

Captain Janeway answered Ensign Kim's summons to go to the holodeck with no small amount of curiosity. He had sounded so pleased and she was as eager as anyone else for her mail that she immediately left her ready room. As the doors slid open for her and she saw his co-worker, she missed a step. "Seven."

The former drone nodded, not unwelcoming despite Janeway's hesitancy. With her headache, Seven didn't even notice Janeway's misstep.

"How are you feeling?"

"I am mostly functional, Captain."

Harry was so excited, he practically bounced on his toes. He didn't notice the strange greeting at all. "Okay, ready when you are."

A press of a button and a man's figure appeared. It was Janeway who recognized him first.

"Lieutenant Barclay?"

The hologram ducked his head humbly. "Um, no, but he did design me. I'm a walking, talking, problem-solving interactive hologram. You can call me Reg."

"It's nice to meet you, Reg." Janeway greeted the hologram with amazement at his creation and his ability to be there.

"The pleasure's mine, Captain. Harry, Seven. I've been looking forward to working with you." 

Harry was surprised, but flattered. Seven, somewhat skeptical, just raised a brow. "You have?"

"I know you were expecting letters from your friends and families," he spread his hands apologetically, "but with any luck, in a few days you'll be seeing them in person. In three day's time, Voyager is going to be passing through grid eight nine eight, a sector of space occupied by a red giant star."

Janeway remembered it distinctly as it was the cause of her unusual reaction upon entering the holodeck and seeing Seven moments before. The sector had initially been a small part of Icheb's morning report while he was covering for Seven, but the star had quickly interested the crew. "Sensors detected it a few days ago."

"At this very moment, a team of Federation scientists is orbiting another red giant in the Alpha Quadrant. In seventy-two hours, they will target its magnetic field with a verteron beam, creating a geodesic fold. As a result, a corresponding fold will open here in the magnetic field of the red giant that Voyager is approaching. Space will be punctured at these two points, creating a gateway between the Quadrants."

"Our shields are useless against geodesic radiation," said Janeway. "We toyed with the idea of opening a fold ourselves, but it didn't take us long to realise we wouldn't survive the trip."

They had more than toyed with the idea; Janeway had gone so far as to enter a shouting match with Chakotay and the Doctor when she suggested Seven assist with the research. Her relationship with Chakotay was still somewhat strained. Seven had still been confined to sickbay and then her alcove at that point. The only reason Janeway had stooped to ask was due to almost hourly pleas by the crew that they investigate fully. Janeway's suggestion had not gone over well with Chakotay and she'd lost the argument without much regret. Though he was normally very calm and level-headed, his extreme reaction hadn't been unexpected. With Seven incapacitated and Voyager experiencing a hectic week in general, the Commander's stress level had been extreme.

The hologram of Reg smiled. "A lot has happened in geodesic research since you've been gone. I've brought schematics for shield upgrades to deflect the radiation from the fold, and medical technology to provide additional protection for the crew. We've thought of everything."

The rest of the room's occupants glanced at each other a little uncertainly at that. His pitying tone made it perfectly clear what he thought about their situation. Not only were they stranded, they were falling behind in technology and research.

Seven was not convinced. "Starfleet never mentioned you in any of the previous data streams, nor have they mentioned geodesic research."

"Well, Lieutenant Barclay didn't want to raise your hopes in case the plan didn't live up to expectations, but lucky for you, it surpassed them."

And yet there was a nagging question Janeway wanted answered. "What about last month's data stream? Why didn't we receive it?"

"Pathfinder tried sending an unabridged version of my program. It overloaded the MIDAS array." 

Harry nodded. This program of Reg was large enough. If a previous version had been larger, it certainly would have overloaded even Voyager's systems and still been impossible to download. "The only casualty this time was our transceiver."

"If everything goes according to plan, you won't need it anymore."

"We should still begin repairs," said Seven, her attention on Janeway.

"Oh, of course!" Reg hurried to agree. "It's always good to have things in operating condition."

"All right." Janeway nodded to Seven and Harry. "We'll get the rest of the details from Reg and then the transceiver is your priority."

[Briefing Room]

Reg pointed to the briefing room screen. Around the table the senior staff listened carefully, each with varying degrees of hope and skepticism. "This is our destination, red giant two three one three nine. The geodesic fold will open here, adjacent to the giant's northern pole. We'll have exactly sixteen seconds to take Voyager through."

"Reg has prepared a list of assignments," Janeway advised. Though she was still unsure about the success of the plan, hope pushed her onward the way it always had. "I expect you to give him your full cooperation."

"Mister Paris," said Reg handing out PADD's as he spoke, "you have the honour of plotting our course. Lieutenant Torres, Commander Tuvok, I'd like you to start working on shield modifications, and in the meantime, I've asked the Doctor to prepare a series of inoculations that will protect the crew from the radiation."

Chakotay, who had discussed the original discovery of the red giant and Janeway's dashed hopes for it, looked at Seven. "Is there anything you know of that might help us?"

"We should look into adding Borg technology to Starfleet's plan," she replied with a nod. "It could increase our chances of success."

"I look forward to hearing your thoughts," said Reg. Mindful of his programmed orders, his gaze lingered.

Chakotay, who happened to look up in time to see the turn of Reg's gaze, didn't like something about the expression on Reg's face, but he couldn't put a finger on why. Giving himself a shake, he turned his attention to Harry. "How long before the transceiver's back online?"

"About two hours," said Harry.

"Good. Then we'll still have time to transmit a response to Starfleet." 

[Corridor]

While the rest of the senior staff filed away to complete their tasks, Chakotay put a guiding hand on her back and snuck Seven out of sight. She hadn't been on duty for even a week yet, but he couldn't help worrying about how she was doing. Just having the chance to talk to her privately calmed him, though.

"How do you feel about this plan? Really?" he asked.

"I am unsure. It is possible – probable even – that Starfleet's research in this field has become more advanced than ours."

"But?" He only asked to hear a confirmation of his own fears out loud.

"However, I do not doubt the reports we produced upon our initial discovery. Icheb's scans showed significant radiation and the Doctor confirmed it would be fatal. Voyager's systems are grossly insufficient to protect the crew."

Chakotay sighed. "I suppose we'll have to trust the Doctor to ensure these inoculations work."

"Indeed. The gravimetric shear will also be too extreme for Voyager to survive unless Starfleet's adaptations are extensive. I suggest reviewing the rest of the Starfleet instructions in full, or have Lieutenant Torres review them."

"That's a good idea." A quick glance around showed they were still alone, but he lowered his voice just the same. "And you? How are you feeling?"

Seven smiled at his concern. "The headache has diminished. I will be ready for the second surgery after my next appointment with the Doctor." That cheered him up, making a genuine smile spread across his face for the first time in over a week. Seven realized with a pang how much she had missed it. Acting on impulse, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips.

Though it required a great deal of self-control, Chakotay did manage to restrain it to just the quick peck. "I'll see you in the mess for dinner?"

Seven nodded. "I look forward to it."

[Astrometrics]

"When a Borg Cube enters a transwarp conduit," Seven said, "it's subject to extreme gravimetric shear." She and Reg stood together in her lab, reviewing Starfleet's plan, or rather investigating what Borg techniques they could apply to it. "To compensate, the Borg project a structural integrity field ahead of the Cube. By modifying Voyager's deflector, we may be able to do the same."

"No one at Starfleet would have thought of this," said Reg, his expression and tone so impressed that Seven was inclined to either blush or believe him insincere. "So, what's the first thing you're going to do when you get back?"

"Begin repairs to Voyager." _Have a minimum of another two surgeries and see if Chakotay still wishes to pursue a relationship._ It struck her then that despite his current loyalty, their return to the Alpha Quadrant would open up numerous dating options for him. It left her uncertain. But now was not a time to dwell on such things. "Even with the structural integrity field, it's likely the ship will suffer significant damage."

"Yes, of course, but there are people at Utopia Planitia who will take care of that. There are Engineering crews and technicians, everyone ready and willing to do their job to get Voyager back in working order."

"Are you implying that I'm superfluous?" That was just as unsettling as the potential for Chakotay to decide he had better options besides her. The possibility left her cold and irritable.

Reg hurried to reassure her in the manner his programming made him believe was the way into every human's heart. "Of course not. I only meant that, if you're too busy working, you're going to miss all the welcome home hoopla. Starfleet's planning parties, ceremonies and speeches. There's a ticker-tape parade down Market Street."

"I won't be attending any of those events." The mere thought of it made her shudder.

"But, you'd be the guest of honour." He couldn't understand why she didn't seem happy at this information.

Seven sighed, not liking that she had to explain. "When I first arrived on Voyager, it was difficult for the crew to accept me. I'm anticipating a similar welcome on Earth." She only hoped being with Chakotay and having a refuge would shield her from the worst of it. Then again, he would undoubtedly be expected at those social events. If he still wanted to be in a romantic relationship with her, she would go for him.

Reg's programming, set to reassure the crew and whip them into an excited frenzy for Earth, supplied a ready solution to her concern. "You don't have any idea, do you? I didn't mention this earlier. I didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings. You are the one who people are most looking forward to seeing."

"That's difficult to believe." Impossible even. Her raised brow showed her disbelief clearly. "I was Borg." 

"Exactly. You were Borg, but you escaped. Despite incredible odds, you managed to reclaim your humanity. No one's ever done that before. You're famous."

She almost rolled her eyes. Apparently. both Reg and the Doctor shared a flame for fame. "Fame is irrelevant, and appreciation for medical success does not translate into personal admiration."

This was not going as Reg expected, but he wouldn't give up and he had a different angle he could try. "Maybe, but you've given hope to everyone who's ever lost somebody to the Borg. You've inspired millions."

Seven considered that, something she hadn't thought about before. It would have been nice to have someone in her situation whose information and experiences she could learn from. Perhaps then she would have avoided some of her mistakes and uncertainty. Then there were the hundreds of families who would like to think their loved ones might be salvaged... "If you think my participation in the hoopla would be beneficial to others, then I'll comply."

Chakotay chose that moment to interrupt. He hesitated as he stepped inside and saw the hologram so close to Seven. Something protective in him didn't like their proximity, nor the way the hologram looked at her. She seemed oblivious, of course, but that didn't make Chakotay feel any better.

"Commander!" Reg broke into a wider smile. "What can we do for you?"

Chakotay forced a smile in return, but he wanted the hologram to leave so he could have a moment alone with Seven. Besides, something in Reg's grin was unnerving. "I just came to check up on the transceiver."

That was a lie, Seven knew because she'd sent him her report an hour ago, but she didn't call him out on it. "The repairs are complete, Commander. We are ready to transmit your message if that is acceptable."

He nodded and joined her at the console, forcing Reg to move away. Speaking exclusively to Seven, he effectively iced Reg out. "How about the rest of the modifications?"

Reg, stumped and frustrated by their behavior, frowned. It was short, quickly becoming a cheery smile when the Commander glanced at him.

"They are going according to plan," Seven replied. She missed Reg's scowl, but Chakotay did not. He pretended he didn't see, but it disturbed him… minor as it was.

"Well," Reg decided to cut his losses and try again later, "I should check in on engineering, but I'll be back to help."

Seven and Chakotay nodded as the hologram left.

"I assume there is a reason for your lie?" Seven asked as soon as the doors closed on Reg's retreating form.

"Something about him doesn't seem right."

"From the Doctor's descriptions, I was led to believe Lieutenant Barclay was socially awkward. Does the hologram's increased confidence make him appear insincere?"

Chakotay thought about it. It was a logical conclusion. Increasing specific characteristics in holograms of living persons did tend to result in a sense of strangeness. "Maybe."

"You do not sound convinced." And yet she understood. "He does seem unusually concerned with our enthusiasm for returning to the Alpha Quadrant."

 _And I don't like the way he looks at you._ He knew better than to voice such a thought, though. "What were you two talking about?"

"He was asking what I would do when we returned. He claims my presence is highly anticipated by families of victims of the Borg."

"Oh." He supposed that made sense. She was proof that people could be rehabilitated even after a lifetime with the Borg. If someone lost a child, her very existence could give them hope. "I can understand that."

"Perhaps." She sighed. "And what is the purpose for your visit?"

Chakotay leaned in closer, placing his hands on her waist and she smirked. "Maybe I just missed you."

"This is highly inefficient." And yet she smiled.

"You're the one wasting time," he said, pulling her in for a kiss. There was no way he was going to admit he'd seen via internal sensors that the hologram was in astrometrics and come simply to check in on them. Still… "Can you promise me something?"

Seven quirked her head, but nodded.

"Don't be alone with Reg unless you have to."

"You believe him to be dangerous?" Though she doubted the hologram's information, it had not occurred to her that he might be malicious.

"I just… I don't know, but will you promise you'll try to stay away from him?"

"I will do my best, Chakotay." It was not a hollow promise, but she did doubt her ability to keep it if she was expected to assist get Voyager home safely.

[Sickbay]

"Ah, Seven. Right on time." The Doctor, restricted to sickbay since the holographic Reg took his emitter, was even happier to see Seven than usual. He beamed at the chance to have a visitor of any sort.

"Doctor. How have you adapted to your confinement?" She let him lead her to a bed and sat on the edge.

"Oh, it's just fine. I've caught up on a great deal of reading and research. I was supposed to go golfing," his expression drooped, "but Reg wasn't as enthusiastic as I expected him to be. Still, there's always something to do around here."

"You do not find it tedious?" She smiled just a little, reading enough of his body language to see he was going stir crazy. It hadn't even been two days and he was hovering over her like a hen. He hadn't even picked up his tricorder, trying to extend her visit.

"Yes, I suppose it is, but it's all in the interest of returning to Earth."

"Perhaps."

The Doctor perked up at her darkened tone. "Why?"

"I am unconvinced the upgrades are sufficient to protect the crew from the radiation or the effects of travelling through the fold."

The Doctor pondered this. "I have my concerns as well."

"The inoculations?"

He nodded. "I took a closer look at them and they don't seem to be anything special."

"Have you discussed this with the Captain?"

"No. Do you believe I should? Of course, I should," he answered himself immediately. The other hologram's behavior just wasn't right. He would have summoned the Captain as soon as he had his last, disturbing confrontation with Reg, but a few injuries in engineering and then Seven's appointment had postponed the impulse. "I'll mention your concerns as well."

"A diagnostic of his programming would be appropriate given the circumstances."

This made the Doctor feel moderately better. It could be that Reg's strange behavior was just the result of a glitch or error. Given how far he'd travelled, how long he'd been running, and the simple fact that most programs were subject to a glitch here and there, the probability was high. "That's an excellent idea, Seven."

"You may wish to have Commander Chakotay with you when you meet the Captain."

The Doctor's brows rose, but he managed to keep his tone even. "Oh?"

"He is concerned about the hologram as well." She puzzled over the promise she'd made to Chakotay. "He requested I not be alone with the hologram."

"Hmm." That was interesting. "I'll make a note of that."

Seven inclined her head, eying his tricorder. She didn't have all day to chat.

"Right." Taking the hint, the Doctor picked up the tool and began scanning her. "Well, holograms, red giants, and Earth aside, I'd say you're ready for your next surgery."

"When?"

"I anticipate a similar recovery period as the first. So, I'll schedule it for after we're on our way again, whether that's the Alpha Quadrant or here."

[Turbolift]

Since he was confined to the one room or the holodecks, Commander Chakotay and Captain Janeway were summoned to sickbay to talk to the Doctor. They rode the turbolift together. It was a mostly silent trip, each still a little awkward after their last big argument, mostly because they were each a little ashamed.

"So," Janeway searched for something to say. "Any fun dates planned?"

"Nothing in the near future." He smiled at her. He didn't normally hold a grudge and didn't intend to start with Janeway. "Lunch dates are all we've really had time for right now." It didn't help that she still required more surgeries so her body wouldn't shut down.

The corridor was empty, most staff working hard on Reg's modifications elsewhere.

The doors to sickbay slid open.

"What is it, Doctor?" Despite being pulled away from work, Janeway was pleasant.

"It's the Reg hologram. He's been behaving erratically. I'm concerned there could be something wrong with him."

In the end, even with Chakotay and the Doctor voicing concerns, Janeway agreed to run a diagnostic on Reg, but she would not halt their plans. It was the best the two men could hope for, especially since they had more to gain if all was as it seemed.

[Astrometrics]

Seven did her best to avoid Reg, but there was one instance she could not dodge his presence.

The time for them to enact their plan approached quickly and, claiming to be needed in astrometrics to oversee the scans, Reg planted himself away from prying eyes and close to the object of his mission. He tried to smile normally as he took his place, but he could see the suspicion in her gaze. He stifled a sigh. It would all be over soon.

Seven, who could think of no reason to kick Reg out, was not pleased to have the hologram settle himself at her post. Chakotay's warning was not far from her mind, but there was nothing she could do.

[Bridge]

The crew worked diligently at their stations, sneaking hopeful glances at the red giant. The fold began to open and the tension in the crew became palpable.

Tom nervously steered towards the fold. "Two million kilometres and closing, Captain."

"Take us to one quarter impulse."

Chakotay called astrometrics, every muscle in his body tense with a strangling combination of worry and hope. "Bring the enhanced shielding online."

[Astrometrics]

Reg answered before Seven could. "Aye, Commander."

The sensors blared a warning. Seven scrolled through the data, quickly growing alarmed.

"What's wrong?"

Seven shook her head. The plan wouldn't work. It was impossible. They had to abort their mission. "The fold contains three radiation types we didn't account for. The shield modifications are not enough."

Reg waved away her concerns. "The shields were modified to work in combination with the inoculations. We'll be fine."

Seven eyed Reg, wondering why he was so determined to overlook the facts. The shields simply weren't going to hold and though she was not trained in medicine, she knew that if the Doctor believed the inoculations were insufficient before, they would be utterly useless against the amount of radiation sensors were reading now. She tapped her badge. "Astrometrics to bridge." 

Janeway answered. "Go ahead.

"There is too much radiation—" She wasn't able to finish her sentence. Though she kept her eyes on Reg, he had abilities she didn't. He reached out and she grabbed his arm, but he was much stronger than she was. His fingers touched her head, delving deep. There was sparking pain and then oblivion. 

Reg sighed as the blonde woman's limp body fell to the floor. He would have to improvise now.

"What is it, Seven?" Janeway's concerned voice required an answer.

Manipulating his voice to mimic Seven's, he answered. "There was a problem, Captain, but I've corrected it."

[Bridge]

Chakotay and Janeway shared a confused look. She gave a quick nod and Chakotay sprung from his seat, beckoning Tuvok to come with him.

As the doors closed, Harry began to get warnings from sensors. "Something's wrong, Captain."

"The radiation?" Janeway asked, wondering if the problem Seven mentioned was not so easily corrected.

"No, the fold is collapsing."

"Can we still make it?"

Harry shook his head. "There's no way our shields would protect us."

Reg's voice sounded through the comm. "Astrometrics to the bridge. Why are we stopping?"

Janeway answered slowly, confused and increasingly concerned. Seven would have been able to tell him why. Astrometrics would be displaying the same information Harry was getting. They clearly couldn't go through. "The fold's collapsing, Reg. We didn't make it in time."

[Astrometrics]

Reg tried putting in false information to send to the bridge. "It's not too late if we remodulate the shields."

The doors slid open and Reg knew it was over. Chakotay and Tuvok levelled their phasers at him. Reg contemplated beaming himself and Seven to a shuttle, but the shuttle wouldn't survive going through the fold. It didn't matter if Seven was alive or dead, but he at least needed her in one piece in order to complete his mission.

Tuvok revoked the mobile emitter, making Reg disappear, as Chakotay kneeled next to Seven. He ran a hand over her head, which was unusually warm. She didn't move, but she was at least breathing. Though his heart was in his throat, the simple fact that she was alive allowed him to speak coherently.

"Chakotay to sickbay. Medical emergency."

[Sickbay]

 _This is becoming entirely too common_ , thought Seven as she opened her eyes. The pounding in her head instantly made her regret waking up.

"Here," came the Doctor's voice. There was the hiss of a hypospray and the pain lessened. "How do you feel?"

Seven opened her eyes slowly this time. "The Barclay hologram—"

"Has been deactivated." The Doctor helped her sit up. "They're running a full diagnostic of his program. Maybe then we'll understand why he tried to get us all killed."

"There was too much radiation." She vaguely recalled trying to contact the bridge, but it was a blur. Did her message get through? "Our shields wouldn't have held."

"I know, but luckily the fold closed on its own before Voyager could attempt the journey."

"The crew must be disappointed." And yet she couldn't feel anything besides relief. The Doctor was observant.

"You're not?"

"No. I long ago realized my desire to return to the Alpha Quadrant is not equal to the rest of the crew's." Now that she was in a relationship with Chakotay, she had even less drive to return.

"I think I understand." The Doctor ran his tricorder over her as he spoke. "You didn't grow up there."

"I also wonder what sort of reception I will receive."

"What do you mean?" He snapped the tricorder closed with a concerned frown.

"I was Borg." She thought of the way the Barclay hologram had attempted to manipulate her, by soothing her concerns with promises of veneration. She kept her silence, however. She didn't want anyone to know how deep those concerns ran.

"Starfleet won't hold that against you."

"They should. If our situations were reversed, I would."

"Some people won't trust you." There was no point denying the truth. "But the majority will accept that you're no longer Borg. Speaking of which, are you ready to schedule your next surgery?"

Seven grimaced, not eager to feel the pounding headache and weakness she'd experienced before. However, there was no way around it. Better get it over with. "Yes."

"Good." The Doctor smiled. "I actually have a surprise for you."

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Chakotay heaved a tired sigh, relieved to finally be heading to his quarters and bed. He had just stepped inside and tossed his PADD on the table when his door chimed. He groaned, but stood to answer it anyway.

"Seven?" She didn't answer, or not the way he expected. Sleep was totally forgotten as she strode over with purpose. Not hesitating in the least, she locked lips with him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a way that left him in no doubt as to what her intentions were.

The doors slid closed again as Seven pushed Chakotay back inside. She was like a prisoner finally released from her shackles. Anything was within her reach and she wanted to have it all.

"Wait." He wrenched his lips from hers with regret. Breathing hard, his hands and eyes finally noticed that she wasn't wearing her normal clothing. He took in the familiar sight of the red dress that had driven his dreams wild since first seeing it. He tried to remember what his objection was.

Smiling at his distraction, Seven took advantage of his silence and kissed him soundly again.

"No." He remembered now. "What about the failsafe?"

"The Doctor deactivated it this afternoon."

"What?" He blinked, not daring to believe such good news. "But it required at least three surgeries. You were in so much pain after the first one."

"He used his confinement in sickbay to conduct more research." Her hand traced his tattoo. Her smile widened as she felt his body shiver under her touch. "He completed the procedure in less than two hours."

"And you're sure…?"

Seven leaned in and Chakotay immediately met her. His own passion aflame, he only left her mouth to run lips, teeth and tongue down her throat. Her delighted, passionate laughter filled his quarters as he dragged her backwards into his bedroom.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

"I'm sorry we weren't able to return to the Alpha Quadrant. I know you were hoping our worries were unfounded." Seven lay with her head on Chakotay's chest, their cooling bodies entwined beneath the sheets. The red dress and his uniform lay in various pools on the floor.

"To be honest, I didn't even think about it after I saw you on the floor in astrometrics." He felt her smile against his chest, but it was true. He'd taken her to sickbay, not once caring about the failed plan to go through the fold.

"Still, it is unfortunate Starfleet's plan did not come to fruition. I imagine the crew is severely disappointed."

"If that even was Starfleet's idea." He was not so sure, not anymore. It was all such a large risk, so poorly planned that he doubted Tom's father would have approved of it, or that they would have received no warning.

"Why send the hologram then?"

"Why send a hologram to deliver instructions that could just have easily fit in a normal message?" A deep sigh. "I don't know. It's so suspect that I wouldn't be surprised if we were being set up."

Seven nodded her agreement. "It does seem an inefficient choice. Starfleet would also have to be exceptionally careless of this crew's lives to instruct us to enter the fold without sufficient protection from the radiation."

"You still think his program was just degraded from the transmission process?"

She shrugged. "It is merely the simplest answer at this time."

They were silent a long while, each lost in thought and the pleasantness of a hand trailing up and down an arm, a leg slung over another, a teasing foot drawing up and down a calf, the flutter of each other's breath on cooling skin.

"You know, Seven," said Chakotay after a little deliberation, "I don't think I'm very disappointed the plan didn't work."

"Elaborate." It was more a soft purr than the usual demand.

"Well, if we'd made it to the Alpha Quadrant, we'd each be busy being debriefed, pulled away for work, and caught up in family reunions."

"Is that not the point of our journey?"

He smiled. "Yes, but then I wouldn't be right here with you now, and I wouldn't trade this for the world."


	13. Chapter 13

**Body & Soul**

Chakotay was smiling as he walked to the bridge, his morning tea still steaming in his mug as he pretended to review a PADD. Really, he was thinking about Seven, specifically that her away mission was almost halfway done and he could expect her back very soon. He missed talking with her, teasing and being teased, their evenings together and her cooking. Even simply knowing she was in the cargo bay or astrometrics was something he'd begun to miss. More than once he'd caught himself heading to one or the other location before remembering she wasn't on Voyager at all.

He sighed. _She'll be back soon._ Then laughed at himself, wondering when he'd grown so soppy and dependent.

"Hey, Chakotay."

Turning at the sound of B'Elanna's voice, Chakotay's smile faltered only when she'd hurried to his side and he noticed her frown. "What is it?"

"Tom and I finished the diagnosis of the Barclay hologram last night."

"Last night?" He eyed her, trying to remember if he'd scheduled a night shift for her. He didn't think so.

"Yes, Tom and I found some coding that didn't seem right and – well – I – it just sort of kept unravelling from there."

Chakotay gave a partial nod. He understood the drive to continue a project when on a roll.

"Well, you're going to want to see what we found."

"Okay." Expecting her to produce a PADD or transfer a report to him, he was slightly confused when she nodded and turned. "What—"

"You're going to have to come to the holodeck for this one."

Confused, but willing to follow, he hurried to keep up.

[Holodeck]

Tom nodded a quick greeting to Chakotay, but refrained from any smartass remarks, which worried Chakotay even more than the couple's identical frowns.

"Should we call the Captain for this?"

B'Elanna shook her head as Tom put some commands into the console he stood at. "We will, but we thought you'd want to see this first."

At Tom's commands, the hologram of Reg Barclay appeared. He stood stoically, the animation removed or paused. Even so, Chakotay felt his shoulders tense, remembering the sight of the hologram standing over Seven's prone figure.

"Well?" Chakotay didn't have all day.

"Reg, what is your primary function?" B'Elanna addressed the unmoving hologram.

Still stoic, the hologram answered, "I am to make contact with the Federation ship known as Voyager."

"And your orders for when you make contact?" She and Tom glanced at Chakotay as she asked this.

"Befriend the crew, convince them to go through grid eight nine eight, a sector of space occupied by a red giant star."

That was odd. Chakotay began to understand Tom and B'Elanna's sombre expressions. "What-"

B'Elanna held up a hand. She wasn't done the interrogation yet. "And what is your ultimate objective?"

"Obtain the nanoprobes and send them through the geodesic fold by any means necessary."

"Nanoprobes?" Chakotay turned to the duo. Tom paused the program. "Are you sure?"

Tom nodded. "It took some work, but we were able to separate out the Starfleet programming from this extra coding. It seems to have been added in after the hologram was created, but not the way someone would normally write a program. It's as though whoever gave him this objective gutted the program, wrote their own encrypted subroutines and then put him all back together."

Chakotay didn't understand. He turned to B'Elanna. "When the Doctor expressed concern, you did a diagnostic."

"I was looking for something broken. He's not broken and the programming was only noticeable when Tom and I began breaking him down subroutine by subroutine."

 _Seven_. Whoever it was wanted Seven. "Why? Who would do this?" How many people even knew Seven was on Voyager?

B'Elanna and Tom again glanced at each other. Tom spoke up. "We thought maybe the hologram got in contact with whoever modified him so we began reviewing communications during his time here."

"Did he send a message?"

"Yes." Tom nodded and pressed a command. The holographic Reg began to speak.

"In accordance with the seventy fourth Rule of Acquisition, Knowledge Equals Profit, I've enclosed the specifications you've requested. See you soon."

"He embedded it in the Captain's message to Starfleet."

"Ferengi." It was a bold and ambitious plan. Chakotay didn't need to ask the hologram what the plan was for the rest of the crew or even Seven. There was no way any of them would have survived the trip. He sighed. There was nothing they could do now and he was only glad the fold had closed on its own. "Do you have this written up?"

B'Elanna provided a PADD.

"All right. You two get some sleep. I'll advise the Captain."

The couple gratefully left for their neglected bed, leaving the unpleasant task of explaining the situation to Janeway.

Chakotay reviewed their report once, paused to let it all sink in, waited a moment more to calm his sudden anxiety with having Seven away, and then left to deliver the news.

[Flyer]

Trailing along behind a comet was not an easy task for a pilot, not even Tom. Harry was not as experienced as his friend, but he thought he was doing just fine. The Delta Flyer was still in one piece and he was as close as he could get without landing on the hurtling chunk of ice. A little shaking, therefore, was to be expected.

"Ensign Kim, please try and hold us steady," the Doctor's voice over the intercom interrupted Harry's concentration. "This sample is extremely fragile." 

Harry sighed, his polite words tinged with more than a smidge of irritation. "Sorry, Doc. I'm doing the best I can." 

"Maybe I should've insisted on Mister Paris."

"I'd give anything to trade places with him right now," Harry muttered. "Three more days of this and Tom might have to take over sickbay entirely."

Seven, who had witnessed as well as experienced enough of the Doctor's barbs over the last few days, was sympathetic. "We could disable his vocal processor."

Harry laughed, glad yet again for having Seven to diffuse his frustration and act as referee, both tasks she'd had to undertake multiple times already. "Best idea of this whole trip."

The Doctor's voice interrupted. "Seven, can you join me, please?"

"On my way." She stood with a sigh. This mission was tedious for her. It wasn't unworthy, just not a challenge and providing nothing of personal interest. Agreeing to go had simply been a kindness to others, who balked when they heard how much time it would be with the Doctor. She wished she could have stayed on Voyager with Chakotay.

[Aft Delta Flyer]

"I thought you might find this interesting." The Doctor, determinedly oblivious to her disinterest, showed her a magnification of their sample.

"Preanimate biomatter." She was unimpressed.

"Look deeper." 

More to maintain peace than because she cared, she did as he asked. Magnified was an undeveloped nucleus in a cytoplasmic matrix.

"You know what is in there?" He waved his arms dramatically, as excited as though he'd made the most basic of biomaterial himself. "Buried deep inside that nucleus are primitive strands of DNA, the beginnings of life, Seven!"

She managed not to sigh. In the cockpit, she could have at least spent this time scanning for supplies or potential dangers, not stared at bits of primitive genetic material that may or may not develop into a moving piece of sludge in several million years. It wasn't that she didn't care, just that it wasn't relevant to them right now. "What's your point?"

Too excited to really care about her lack of interest, he waved a slide under her nose. "When I look at this, I don't see a mere cell. I see the potential for literature and art, empires and kingdoms." 

"If you have such psychic abilities, you should consider a career outside of sickbay."

The Doctor didn't lose his enthusiasm. He barely heard her. "Someday, this cytoplasmic matrix may fall into the primordial sea of a distant world where it could ignite an evolutionary process. Eons from now, a creature not unlike you could emerge, look up at the stars and ask, who am I? How did I come to be? It's the miracle of creation, Seven. Doesn't that excite you?"

"I will leave a message to advise it of its humble origins."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at her, but any response he may have had was forgotten as the shuttle gave a violent shudder.

"Ensign Kim!" The Doctor was ready to call the ensign to task, but there was no time.

Harry's strained voice came over the comm. "We're under attack!"

Not having time to rush to the cockpit, Seven accessed the controls from a console in the aft.

"Seven, we've lost thrusters," Harry advised over the comm.

"I'll try reinitialising the driver coils." Since he left the line open, she could hear Ensign Kim try to send a mayday to Voyager, and the computer advising that subspace communications were offline. She identified the reason as a tractor beam from the alien ship.

"Remodulate our shields. That should break us free."

It was too late. The Delta Flyer just wasn't designed to withstand the alien technology or a full assault by such a larger ship. It was made for fancy flying, not fighting. "Shields are down."

Behind her, the Doctor flickered like a failing lightbulb. "What's happening?" 

Distracted from trying to break the tractor beam, Seven realized the Doctor didn't have much time. "They're using some kind of disruption field. It's decompiling your matrix."

Harry, who could hear Seven as she could hear him, called over the comm., realizing there wasn't anything he could do to stop the larger ship from pulling them in. "Seven, you're going to have to hide the Doctor's programme."

The Doctor looked at Seven desperately as he flickered again. "Do something, please."

[Delta Flyer]

It was difficult to tell what surprised the Lokirrim male, Captain Ranek, more when he entered the aft of the Delta Flyer. There was a beautiful blonde, Borg woman – attractive enough for Ranek to briefly let his eyes rove – with metal implants on various parts of her body and her tone verging on what Ranek believed was hysteria. To top it off, there was no sign of the hologram they'd attacked and boarded for.

The Doctor, slightly panicked and occupying a body not his own, answered Ranek's demands with less control than he would have liked.

"You decompiled his matrix," he said, Seven's voice sounding more animated than normal even from his new vantage point. As much to test the limits of his temporary body as to prove to himself he could control it, he paced, waving his arms to emphasise his point to the Lokirrim staring at him. "You murdered him. You murdered our doctor." 

Harry, despite the days of snipping with the Doctor was horrified. "Seven?"

"I'm sorry." He repeated Seven's words before she essentially assimilated his program. "There wasn't enough time."

As they walked and Ensign Kim tried to argue their way to freedom, the Doctor took stock of his unique situation. After he got over the strangeness of feeling the basic biology of his host, he began to enjoy being in Seven's body. Each contraction and release of muscles, each breath, every beat of her heart was a miniature miracle to him and a novel experience. To actually experience the processes he was programmed to know everything about… It was practically intoxicating.

They were placed in a small holding cell, the ship either not large enough or their security risk not high enough to separate Harry and Seven.

Upset about the loss of the EHM and naturally concerned for himself and Seven, Harry continued trying to get their captor's attention.

The Doctor, however, was busy testing out his new habitation.

"Careful, Ensign," the Doctor said, distractedly, "or you'll fracture a metacarpal." 

Harry, whose hands really did hurt from pounding on the forcefield, stopped and glanced at Seven. "That'd be the least of our problems."

"The situation is not as desperate as it appears." The Doctor smiled to himself, flexing Seven's arm just to enjoy the feel of it.

Harry was incredulous. Seven was known for being infuriatingly calm in distressful situations, but this was particularly callous of her. "Not as desperate? We're prisoners on an alien ship. Voyager has no idea we're missing, and the Doctor's been decompiled."

Proud of his acting in the face of danger, clearly done so well that Ensign Kim had no idea who he was, the Doctor answered with a swagger. "The reports of my decompilation have been greatly exaggerated."

His whole body freezing in shock, Harry finally realized the mannerisms in front of him were very different from the co-worker he knew. Seven neither walked nor talked like the person in front of him. These mannerisms were more like… "Doc?"

Spinning with a wide smile, the Doctor replied, "Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Seven downloaded my programme into her cybernetic matrix." He patted Seven's strict coiffure, enjoying the mix of softness and stability as well as the utter amazement on Ensign Kim's face. "It's an interesting sensation, to say the least."

"And now you're in control of Seven's body?" There was the buzz of shock in his mind. 

"Total control, it —" he absentmindedly trailed his hands downward, grazing breasts and he stuttered, dropping his hands, "— it seems."

"What about Seven, is she all right?" Harry thought it rather strange and almost shameful that he felt more concern at the loss of Seven than he did for the Doctor. And yet, she had turned out to be easier to work with than the EMH and had proven a pleasant friend.

Here the Doctor was required to fib just a little. There had only been enough time for Seven to absorb him into herself, but he believed himself a competent enough doctor to make an assessment from his position. "I scanned her before the aliens came aboard. Physiologically, she's fine. As for her consciousness, I'm assuming it's submerged, but there's no way to be sure until I vacate her systems and conduct a neurological exam."

Not entirely fooled, Harry immediately wanted see for himself that Seven was unharmed by this extreme move. "Then we need the mobile emitter… now."

Not really listening anymore, the Doctor paced again, just to feel Seven's strong muscles flex. She was slender, more so than the average human, but her small frame hid a Borg-enhanced strength few would guess at. "I should write an article for the Starfleet medical journal once we're back."

Intrigued by the shimmer of the forcefield he could see through her Borg eye, the Doctor held up her hand and reached out. The sharp zap of the current made him snap back Seven's hand.

"Careful!" Harry began to worry for more than Seven's consciousness. "That's not your body, remember?" Before the words were even out of his mouth, he knew the Doctor wasn't listening anymore. The Doctor raised Seven's hand again. This time the slight smell of singed flesh was the Doctor's lesson to not touch the forcefield. Harry sighed as the Doctor then becan roaming around the small holding cell. He began sniffing, which Harry tried to ignore.

"I know Seven's senses were more acute than the average humanoid but, I had no idea." The Doctor inhaled deeply and caught a strange scent, not stopping to think that any sensation would be strange to him. "What is that?"

Tired and somewhat overwhelmed, Harry sat and tried to think of what else to do. 

"What is that smell?"

"What smell?"

"It could be an airborne toxin. Do you think they're trying to poison us?" He'd heard of the way Cardassians experimented on their victims. For all they knew, their captors were the same.

The Doctor followed the trail of sweet and musk around the room until… "It's you!" 

Startled by having Seven's nose in his face, and her practically shout at him, Harry jerked away. He grew defensive under the eerie mix of Doctor-Seven accusation staring down at him. It took him a moment to understand what he was being accused of. "It's been a busy day. I guess I'm perspiring a little."

"A little?" His tone, if possible, became even more smug than usual. "Seven's had a busy day too, and she's come through it smelling like the proverbial rose."

Harry sighed, almost wishing the Doctor had been decompiled. He couldn't help thinking even Seven had better manners than to point out a little side effect of basic biology.

[Ready Room]

Janeway smirked as she reviewed her messages and reports for the morning, her trusty cup of coffee in hand. She's just come across the notification from Tom. _Poor Tuvok._

The door chimed. She glanced up, welcoming the visitor. Her expression opened in pleasure as Chakotay entered.

"Kathryn."

"Good morning." Her brow raised at his serious expression. "It's too early for frowns that deep, Chakotay. You better have a coffee and come back later."

Shaking his head, Chakotay allowed himself a chuckle. "Sorry, but I think you'll want to see this sooner rather than later."

She took the PADD he held out. "What is it?"

"Tom and B'Elanna were apparently up burning the midnight oil diagnosing the Reg Barclay hologram."

"And…" Kathryn trailed off as she skimmed the report. Enough sank in that she returned her eyes to the top and began again to make sure she understood everything. When she had finished, she waved the PADD. "This is very serious."

Chakotay nodded. "What do you want to do about it?"

"This will have to go in our next message to Starfleet." That was absolute.

"I suggest we encrypt it in case the Ferengi are still intercepting our communications."

"Agreed." She sighed. The problem was there was only so much they could do. "I suppose other than that we can only wait for the next transmission to see if they realized their hologram didn't get through."

Chakotay again wished to have Seven still on Voyager just to assuage his nerves. Knowing how close he'd come to losing her and the lengths someone would go to obtain nanoprobes left him fidgety and uneasy.

"It'll be all right, Chakotay." Janeway had noticed him shuffling his feet. "The away team will be back soon. They'll be fine."

He forced himself to smile, pretending that her assurances had calmed him. Of course, she wasn't fooled.

[Seven's perspective]

Seven – the person both in the flesh and in the mind – watched as their captors led them back to their ship. She felt her body move, but had no control. Most of her body's movements and basic biology was regulated to some degree by the Borg technology throughout her systems. Since the Doctor's program was in the technology, not her actual mind, he had command while she was forced to move along with him.

She would have shuddered if she could, the feeling of being trapped within so reminiscent of being a drone in the Borg Collective that she had to quell a rising panic.

 _Panic is counterproductive_ , she told herself. The mantra didn't help.

Watching like a fly on the wall, Seven was both amused and disgusted by the Doctor's relish for the Lokirrim prison rations. True, she was in the habit of choosing meals for their practicality rather than taste when in a hurry, but she knew enough to understand that a dry ration was nothing to gush over. Time with Chakotay had taught her to appreciate quality as well as function.

"They're prison rations," said Harry as the Doctor relished the dry stick of basic nutrition. He hadn't even touched his own food. "My uniform probably tastes better."

Seven hoped the Doctor didn't decide to test that theory.

"You know," Seven felt her mouth move without knowing what her body was going to say, "I was thinking. When we get back to Voyager, perhaps you and Seven could help me modify my physical parameters."

She would have rolled her eyes if she could. Harry asked the question she already knew the answer to.

"Because I want to eat, of course," said the Doctor, "like any other member of the crew."

Harry couldn't help a little sigh of exasperation. "There's just one small problem. You don't have a stomach. Where is the food going to go?"

 _Perhaps he also wants a holographic digestive tract._

The Doctor thought about that. "A holographic stomach could be made to store the food for eventual recycling."

 _Ridiculous._ She was just glad he didn't expect to share her body on Voyager just so he could eat.

Not able to resist rolling his eyes this time, Harry answered with rising irritation. "Maybe we should focus on something more productive, like getting out of here."

 _Yes, please._ She wondered if the Doctor was going to ask for reproductive capabilities next. _  
_

"Relax, Ensign. I'm sure in no time at all, our shipmates will find us and the captain will clear up this little misunderstanding. In the meantime, are you going to finish that?" he asked, pointing at Harry's rations.

Not hungry enough to eat the rations and happy enough to have the Doctor distracted, Harry handed over the plate.

 _Ugh_. Seven tasted the dry sticks and yet couldn't move to spit them out. She'd never hated Harry's generosity until then.

The prison doors opened and one of their captors, a female with long brown hair and a no-nonsense demeanour, entered. She leveled a coolly professional gaze at Seven.

"You," she nodded at Seven. "Come with us."

The Doctor went with their captors calmly. As he did, Seven took stock of the ship as they walked, but found nothing of real interest, not that she could have acted on anything she saw or found anyway. It seemed to be designed not unlike Voyager, or any other standard vessel. Still, she logged it all in her memory in case it proved useful later.

[Delta Flyer Aft]

Seven bristled to see the Lokirrim male, Ranek, poking and prodding around the shuttle. He ran though his readings of the Delta Flyer. "Much more sophisticated than the typical smuggler's vessel." 

The Doctor crossed his arms, tired of repeating the same information without being listened to. "How many ways do you want me to say this? We are not smugglers, or terrorists. We are explorers. If you contact our ship, Voyager, Captain Janeway will explain everything. We were on a simple, exploratory mission. That's it."

Undeterred, Ranek pressed for more information. "If you are innocent, then you won't mind telling me more about this vessel. For instance, this device," he pointed to the replicator, "what does it do?"

"That's a standard food replicator."

"Can it be used to create bioweapons?"

"Not unless you count Mister Neelix's Bolian soufflé."

Seven chuckled to herself. Neelix was the only person who tried to improve a simple soufflé with hot spices and leola root.

The Doctor sighed at Ranek's blank look. "Let me show you." Forcing Ranek to move aside, he went to the replicator and ordered a cheesecake. The item appeared and he held it out to his captor, who eyed it warily.

"How do I know you're not trying to poison me?"

 _A valid question_ , Seven thought, though she too was getting tired of the extreme suspicion of the Lokirrim. They saw any gesture as a potential threat despite proof to the contrary.

The Doctor, not really thinking about it, rolled his eyes again and promptly took a bite of the cheesecake. The effect was instantaneous, the sugar and creaminess a thousand times better than the prison rations. "Mmm! Oh, I never imagined!"

Seven began to worry. She had eaten cheesecake with Chakotay and other indulgent meals too, but unlike the Doctor, she had the willpower and perspective to understand proportions.

Amused, Ranek watched the woman's face crumple in raptures over the dessert. "Is this the first time you've tried that?"

An hour later and Seven – the real Seven – was past being worried, past being angry; Seven was livid. Empty plates and glasses of synthehol surrounded them as she and Ranek lay on the floor. Though she had no ability to stop the Doctor from acting, she could still feel her body and its rebellion to the overindulgence he was putting it through. She could have tolerated a little extra food or alcohol, but the thing that she hated the most was her inability to say a word against it.

"So," said Ranek with a slight slur, "Seven, tell me about your cyb – cyper – cypher implants."

"Oh, what's to tell?" The Doctor waved Seven's arm dramatically, letting it thud back to the floor when it became too strenuous to hold it up. "I was a human taken by the Borg and forced by their cruel will to do their bidding."

"Borg?"

"You haven't heard of them?"

"We have, but we haven't really had to deal with them." He focussed on her. "What was it like being part of the Borg?"

"Terrible. The Borg are a vast, heartless collection of drones. Sure, we enjoy a longer lifespan and usually perfect health, but where's the humanity, the art, the beauty of life?" He sighed dramatically. "You know, during my time with the Collective we would go from one end of the galaxy to the other, assimilating cultures from everywhere. We sure knew how to travel! But…"

"But?"

"My life wouldn't have been really worth living if I hadn't joined Voyager. I met the one person who changed my life, the one who always saw my true potential."

"Your Captain." Ranek smiled, thinking himself in a similar position to give purpose and inspiration to those beneath him.

The Doctor scowled. "No, our Doctor."

"The photonic?" Ranek didn't scoff, but his disbelief was clear.

"That's right, the photonic." The Doctor struggled into a sitting position, Seven's normally graceful body feeling cumbersome and uncoordinated. "You should have met him. He would have proven to you that holograms are more than what you think. Remarkably handsome, witty, a towering intellect. No doubt if we hadn't been pulled to the Delta Quadrant, he would have been treasured by society. He was truly a man among mice. If he and I hadn't been colleagues..."

Even trapped in her own body and loopy from too much synthohol, Seven was torn between exasperation and pure amusement by this self-assessment. _Clearly he should have reviewed Lesson 4 more thoroughly: Catching Bees with Honey and Humility._

"I hope you understand I had no choice." Ranek, despite having little remorse for this Doctor, was not immune to the effects of a pretty woman – even a somewhat unusual one as this Seven of Nine seemed to be – any more than he was immune to the champagne. He regretted doing something to upset her, even if it was in the course of his duties.

 _Uh-oh._ Even foggy from the intoxicant, Seven didn't like the way Ranek looked at her. He was a handsome man, enough so to know his worth. He had the confidence of a man who rarely had to ask for anything and he looked at her like a man who didn't doubt he'd be granted whatever he wished.

"I can maybe help make it up to you, do something." Despite his self-assertion as a male and his strict appearance as a captain, Ranek was a kind enough man. He could offer help – to a degree – without demanding anything in return.

"Like what?"

"I'll ask for leniency, insist we contact your captain before we go too much further."

"That will only do so – so much. Even now I'm degrading."

"What do you mean?" Ranek's brow furrowed in honest confusion and concern.

"I need my regener- regeneration device. As you can see, my motor functions are already impaired." It wasn't entirely untrue. Without regeneration, Seven's Borg systems would degrade over time. It just wasn't as dire a situation as the Doctor suggested, not yet. He wouldn't admit it, but the synthehol was getting to him.

 _Or maybe humans are not the only people who need to learn about limitations,_ thought Seven.

Ranek thought carefully. Not only could he do something for this lovely woman, but he could bargain for something his ship desperately needed… if she was willing. He took the little device he'd confiscated from his pocket. "If I give this back to you, will you do something for me?"

"What?"

"I need a medic. Did you happen to learn any medical skills from your mentor?"

The Doctor and Seven smiled together. "As a matter of fact, he taught me everything he knows—um, knew. I'd be happy to help you."

Smiling, Ranek handed the mobile emitter over. "Good. You can start tomorrow."

[Corridor]

Standing had been a bad decision. The universe was none too steady as it was, but it practically spun as the Doctor tried to navigate Seven's intoxicated body through the corridors.

Seven was actually grateful to have the escort, who had to help stablize her more than once. With relief, she saw the familiar walls of the brig.

"Are you drunk?" Harry took Seven's arm as the forcefield snapped back, trapping them in the cell again.

The EMH hiccupped and answered defensively. "It wasn't my fault. Seven's unique physiology doesn't react well to synthehol." Another hiccup.

"What did they want?" he asked, eyeing Seven. Her step was wobbly, but overall, she seemed unharmed. He suspected the greater danger to Seven was actually the Doctor, not their captors.

"Captain Ranek asked about the Delta Flyer." Another hiccup. Deciding that standing was too much of a chore, the Doctor leaned against the wall.

"And?" Harry kept close, ready to catch her if she fell or passed out.

"How to use the replicator. It was a surprisingly pleasant meal. He's not so bad, once you get to know him."

He didn't know how Seven would feel about this information, but Harry was incredulous and miffed on Seven's behalf. Didn't the Doctor understand that it was Seven's body, not his own, that she was the only one who had a right to decide what to do with it? "You had a dinner date in Seven's body?" 

"It wasn't a date." The Doctor smiled, thinking up an excuse for his behaviour as though it had been his plan all along. "It was a ploy, a rather ingenious one at that."

As the Doctor held up the mobile emitter in triumph, Harry couldn't help forgetting his irritation for his relief. Now they could talk to Seven and see if there were any harmful effects to her consciousness. "I don't want to know what you did to get this."

"Nothing unladylike, I assure you. He's a pleasant man by usual standards, but my preferences lean another way," he said, his eyes beginning to droop closed. Without the laughter and interesting conversation of Captain Ranek to keep his mood elevated, the Doctor felt the need to sleep.

"Fine, but did you stop to think what your behaviour might make Captain Ranek expect from you?"

"I'm sure he's a reasonable man."

"People can be both reasonable and irrational at the same time, especially when romance is involved. If Ranek suggests the only way to get us out of here is to sleep with him, is that what you're going to do?"

 _No!_ Seven felt adamant about that, but she knew that if the EMH had different ideas…

"Pfft. I might be slightly out of sorts from the synthehol, but even I know Seven's a one-man sort of woman." He lay down on the prison bed, but there was no way for even the Doctor to believe the austere décor was comfortable.

Harry glanced at the EHM with confusion at the bitter tone. "Pardon?"

A little more under the influence of intoxication than he was willing to admit, the Doctor spoke without thinking as he wriggled on the cot, trying to find a comfortable spot. "They're sleeping together," he said as though Harry were a complete idiot.

"Who?"

"The Commander." The name was spat out with no small amount of animosity. The Doctor rolled to face the wall, but his grumbling remained perfectly clear. "She doesn't realize that it's just a fling, but she will."

"Oookaay…"

"So, even if Ranek suggested it, which I think I'm smart enough to see coming, which won't be happening because he has no interest in Seven, neither she nor I will be participating in such activities with him."

Not entirely sure what to do with this information, or how accurate it was, Harry decided to let it go and hope the Doctor would stick to his decision. "So, what did you do then?"

"I offered to act as their medic temporarily."

He supposed that was fine. There wasn't really a downside to letting the Doctor practice his craft in an attempt to get them leniency. "Fine. Let's download your programme before they change their minds."

The last glass of champagne was catching up to him, the room spinning more than it should. Not too focussed, the Doctor obediently lifted Seven's hand to attach her Borg assimilation tubules to the mobile emitter.

When a fist covered in Borg technology nearly assimilated his forehead, Harry grabbed Seven's wayward arm. "Hey! Careful where you point those tubules."

Blinking to try to restore some semblance of normalcy, the Doctor apologized and allowed Harry to guide Seven's hand to the mobile emitter. It took a little concentration, but the Doctor was able to make the tubules to appear. Following pre-programmed commands, they automatically connected with the closest piece of technology.

One moment he was in a flesh and blood body and the next, the Doctor flickered into existence as himself again.

Seven felt control return instantly, leaving her to manage the pain and discomfort of too much food and alcohol. She almost threw up right then. Only extreme control prevented Harry from being covered in the evidence of the Doctor's indulgences. Without realizing it, she swayed forward. Harry's hands pushing her back were the only thing that stopped her from falling.

"Are you all right? How do you feel?" Harry watched her face worriedly, reassured when her eyes focussed and she ground out a reply.

"Impaired." 

The Doctor spoke up eagerly, not realizing what was the cause of her discomfort. "My program took over your system entirely, but I'm sure the symptoms will pass. Let me explain what's happened."

"I know exactly what's happened." Seven glared up at him, unable to do much more until she regained her equilibrium. "You've been abusing my body."

Spluttering a little, he tried to reiterate what he had to Harry.

"I was there, Doctor," Seven reminded him.

"I'm not a spy. I had to improvise."

"Consuming four glasses of wine is not improvising."

Harry looked at the Doctor, brows raised. "Four?"

"I guess I sort of lost track." He tried to appeal to Seven, but she pulled away angrily.

"Have you been aware this whole time?"

"Unfortunately." She was none too happy about the Doctor telling Ensign Kim about her relationship with Chakotay. She didn't even want to discuss the Doctor's intoxicated assessments of her life. Judging by how he paled as he realized what she would have heard, he didn't want to discuss it either.

Recovering a little, the Doctor pointed to his mobile emitter. "But it worked!"

"Yes, you succeeded in consuming more food in one sitting than any human needs in three days."

"I apologise if I overindulged. I'll be more careful next time."

"If?" She shook her head. "There won't be a next time."

"But they'll decompile my programme." Since he knew Seven rarely gave empty threats, there was a real note of panic in his voice. "Please, Seven, I know you're angry, but we'll have to do this if we're going to get out of here."

"How do you propose we do that? Will another cheesecake make Captain Ranek spontaneously disobey his orders?"

"Maybe you can tap into their comm. system," said Harry, eager to put an end to the argument. "You could get a message to Voyager."

The Doctor shook his head. "Deciphering alien computers isn't exactly my forte."

"But it is one of mine," said Seven, cottoning on to Harry's plan. "If you can get close enough while they're accessing their systems, I'll be able to observe their command protocols."

The three of them paused when they heard the guard speaking.

"It appears your medical skills are required," said Harry. He looked to Seven. "You're up."

Sighing irritably, Seven still managed to stand and reach for the mobile emitter. The change was instant as the Doctor's programming once more filled her cybernetic implants. He could even feel how quickly Seven's nanoprobes were ridding her body of the alcohol. His head was becoming clearer.

[Lokirrim Sickbay]

In the medical bay, the Doctor was at least not disappointed by lack of resources. A glance told him the only thing they really needed was a trained medic. Part of him was glad he could then be of use.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

"Miss Seven," the pretty, somewhat stern brunette who'd escorted the Doctor to the shuttle earlier greeted him with a strained smile. "I'm Jaryn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." He gestured to the lone patient. "What happened?"

"Yet another victim of the photonic's viral weapons," Jaryn answered. She moved to stand next to the invalid's bed. Though her soft face was the kind to naturally express kindness and sympathy, the war left her feeling hollow and impassive. Where once she would have cried for her shipmate, she could only relate his medical condition factually and with only a hint of the anger simmering beneath the surface. "They've become very skilled at attacking our biology. This particular one attacks the cerebral cortex. Within days, the victim suffers complete synaptic failure."

"Luckily, I know a little something about that." Taking a scanner, which he recognized as pilfered from the Delta Flyer, he assessed the suffering man. "I don't have a cure on hand, but if we can't stop the virus, we may be able to slow its progress, buy him some time. We need to synthesise a neural inhibitor."

Jaryn nodded and retrieved the required medication without further instruction.

"Forgive me," the Doctor observed the familiar way she moved in the medical bay, the way she replicated what he needed without hesitation or question, "but aren't you the ship's tactical officer?"

"Tactical officer, medic, engineer." She remembered wanting to cry at the deaths of all those who used to hold those positions, but her tears had dried up long ago. "We've lost nearly a third of our crew to the photonics."

Seven, listening with only minor interest to their conversation, felt a pang of pity for the woman and even Captain Ranek. No wonder he was so desperate to eradicate all holograms within his reach. She didn't even want to imagine losing so many of Voyager's crew.

Despite this moment of sympathy, Seven wasn't really paying much attention to the conversation at first. While the Doctor asked Jaryn about her past, her family, and why she was where she was, Seven let her mind wander to other things. There wasn't anything to interest her in the medical bay, or nothing that could help them escape. There also wasn't anything to indicate what their command codes or communications systems would be like.

 _Icheb will be in astrometrics, unless he is studying._ Seven knew he'd scheduled a plethora of research and review for his Starfleet courses even though he likely already knew more than any other student.

 _I wonder what Chakotay is doing_. She imagined he was on the bridge, probably reading reports. She wondered if he was thinking about her. The possibility cheered her. Memories of their nightly trysts warmed her to the core.

They worked for a few hours and as they did, it slowly occurred to Seven just how much time her physical eyes were turned to Jaryn instead of the patient and she became both amused and concerned. She didn't like the idea of the Doctor becoming attracted to this female, not while in her body anyway. It wasn't as though she was disturbed by two members of the same gender being intimate, but it was her body and she had no control. The Doctor had the ability to act on anything, regardless of how Seven felt about it, and so far, the Doctor had shown little care for the fact that she was the primary owner or even that she was witness to his actions.

Though she was somewhat loathed to do it, Seven began to pay more attention to their conversation.

"His progress is remarkable," Jaryn said, amazed that the damage had not only slowed with the treatment but begun to reverse. It was more than she'd ever expected. A little hope that she and those she loved could survive the war began to creep in. She turned to Seven, that buoyant attitude and gratitude shining in her face. "I want you to know, I'm going to tell my superiors everything you've done for us."

Pleased, the Doctor puffed himself up without realizing it. "First Ranek and now you. I may become the first prisoner of war to be decorated by his captors."

"I know someone who'd really enjoy meeting you." Jaryn smiled at the thought of the introduction.

"Who?"

"My brother, Lohden."

Seven had never before been so inclined to burst into laughter as she was then. Perhaps it was a good thing she was relegated to the role of observer. She could feel the Doctor's reaction in the way he tensed, the way his jaw almost dropped to the floor. She could imagine his expression so clearly that a mirror was unnecessary.

"Your brother?" the Doctor spluttered. 

Unaware she'd said anything extraordinary, Jaryn nodded with a smile. "You'd like him. He's ambitious, accomplished, and he'd love your sense of humour."

"Apparently, it's my most attractive quality," the EMH grumbled.

Seven wasn't sure she'd go that far, but it amused her just the same. 

Ranek's voice came over the comm. "Seven of Nine, please report to the bridge."

"I'll be back to check on him again," the Doctor assured Jaryn, handing over the medical reigns.

Trapped in her own mind, Seven was unable to give the warning she wished to the Doctor. It seemed highly unusual that Captain Ranek would call her to the bridge. The situation didn't sit quite right with her, especially given their dinner the night before. Her sense of alarm increased tenfold when she entered the nearly empty bridge.

The lights were dimmed and the Doctor blinked, glad for Seven's increased ocular acuity. It didn't occur to him to ask why the lights were practically off, nor why Ranek was on the bridge alone. These things were all seen without being absorbed since he'd never had to analyse such behaviour. Instead, he quipped, "Did your crew abandon ship?"

"I wanted to thank you." Ranek smiled and moved closer, gesturing for the guard to leave. His voice grew deeper, husky and seductive in the dimmed lighting. It had been a long time since Ranek took so much as an evening to forget they were in the midst of outright war. Now he'd had a taste, it was like finding an oasis in a desert. "I had a wonderful time the other night." 

Desperate to give some warning – especially since whatever happened would happen to _her_ body – Seven tried to convey to the Doctor what was going on. She shouted in her own mind, tried to move a limb, tried to invade the technology that his programming had wrested from her control, but it was all useless.

Mindful of his promise to Seven, the Doctor tried to imply gently that such a night would not happen again. "It's not often that I indulge myself like that."

"It's been a long time for me, too." Ranek cleared his throat and gestured to the main screen. "I remembered your interest in stellar phenomenon, so I requested a course change to show you something."

Her eyes, courtesy of the Doctor remembering to observe their command codes, locked in on Captain Ranek's movements at the console instead of the screen as Ranek intended.

Seven, who was more eager than ever to get back to Voyager, paid close attention, memorizing everything. It wasn't too difficult. Compared to some species, the Lokirrim technology wasn't complex. If she could just get access to it, she could easily send a message.

At Ranek's commands, a nebula appeared on the viewscreen, providing a new and soft lighting to the room.

Seven immediately identified the phenomenon as a pulsar cluster, but the Doctor required an explanation.

"Our poets call it the Window of Dreams. You can travel from one end of the Quadrant to the other and never see anything like it."

When a musical rhythm started, Seven again tried to take back her body, barely hearing the conversation anymore amidst her rising panic.

Ranek's eyes barely glanced at the pulsar cluster, his attention all for the unusual woman before him. "I once thought this was the most beautiful sight in the sector. Now I see that I was wrong."

She recognized the tone of his voice and intent behind his comment, Chakotay having made similar comments to her over the course of their courtship.

 _Chakotay…_ Seven hoped he would forgive her for whatever was about to happen.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Ranek produced a glass of champagne and held it out.

The Doctor almost took the glass, but remembered Seven's ire. "Oh, I promised a friend I'd go easy on the synthehol."

Grateful for small blessings, Seven still continued her internal war to gain the Doctor's attention.

"Do you hear that?" The Doctor, naively and totally oblivious to what was happening, listened with amazement to the sounds of the pulsar. He waved a hand like a conductor, timing the sounds. "It's identical to the rhythm produced by the eight-chambered Ktarian heart."

 _Turn around! He's trying to seduce you!_

Amused and turned on by his companion's charming obliviousness to his advances, Ranek drew closer. He was within kissing distance when she turned to him. She was smiling, seemingly a welcome to him. So close, moving closer still, he was distracted by Seven pulling out a tricorder. "Is something wrong?" 

"Rapid pulse, respiratory distress. You may be having a reaction to the pulsar's radiation. We should get you to the medical bay."

Fighting both laughter and frustration, Ranek took the hand holding the tricorder and gently lowered it. "No, I'm not going to the medical bay."

The Doctor huffed. Clearly Janeway wasn't the only captain who liked to ignore sound medical advice. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was a requirement for starship captains to have a fear of simple medical exams. Really, you can blast your way through enemy lines, but—"

"I don't need an exam to know what I'm suffering from," Ranek interrupted. His entire focus was on her face.

 _Neither do I_ , thought Seven as she braced herself. 

Ranek pressed his lips to Seven's, pulling her to him.

The Doctor, truly shocked – and yet intrigued by the physical touch of another being – pushed Ranek away after a slight hesitation. Seven's enhanced strength meant he didn't have to push quite as hard as he did. Ranek stumbled back.

"I'm sorry. I thought…"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Seven calmed herself. A kiss wasn't so bad and there was nothing she could do anyway. Though the Doctor was still riled, she could see the confusion and regret in Captain Ranek's expression. She could even pity him a little despite the unwanted embrace. He had no way of knowing the Doctor's behaviour was the result of ignorance instead of coyness. 

"You were wrong." 

"I didn't mean to offend you. It's just I've never met a woman like you before."

 _No doubt._

"That's because there are no women like me." At that, the Doctor left the bridge for the refuge of sickbay.

 _I can't believe he did that_ , thought the Doctor. _He just grabbed me._ And yet it hadn't felt unpleasant, quite the opposite. The more he thought about it, the more intrigued by the biological and emotional responses to physical intimacy he became, thoughts and images of Seven in his arms intruding before he even realized.

Seven, in tune with her body if not in charge of it, could feel her physical reaction to the Doctor's thoughts. Since she wished to simply forget about the incident, or at least not feel like she'd cheated on Chakotay, the Doctor's interest in the kiss angered her more than the kiss itself.

Jaryn was still there when the Doctor stormed into the medical bay.

"Is something wrong?"

The Doctor paced and explained what happened, with some colourful language.

Seven, who was now more relieved to be away from the situation than scandalized by Captain Ranek's actions, settled down and mostly tuned out of the rest of the conversation until…

"You have – have feelings for him?" The Doctor watched Jaryn blush. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, the whole thing reminded him of Seven and Chakotay, making his outburst more vehement than it otherwise would have been. "I've known lotharios like Ranek. Commanding officers all tend to be the same, just jumping from one bed to the other. Relationships based on lust never last. Trust me, you don't want anything to do with him. You need someone who can appreciate your many talents. You're too special to waste yourself with him. You need someone overflowing with intelligence and compassion, someone capable of understanding you. Ow!" 

Inside, Seven felt pained as much by the neck spasm the Doctor worked himself into as she did by his words. Was that how he saw her relationship with Chakotay?

Jaryn, despite being surprised at Seven's outburst, kindly helped the other woman sit. "It looks like a spasm in the trapezius."

"I had no idea it could be so excruciating."

 _Good thing you don't have to suffer clamp alignments,_ Seven thought with what would have been a roll of her eyes. Her neck certainly hurt, but not to the degree the Doctor expressed.

"That's what happens when you work so long without rest." Jaryn felt a little guilt at that, having forgotten just how long their shift in the medical bay had been. For all she knew, this woman's unique physiology required more rest. "Our last medic showed me a technique that might help. I'll try it if you like."

 _No, you don't need it. You're just looking for attention._ Of course, her thoughts directed at the EMH went unheard.

The Doctor naturally agreed and Jaryn began to massage the knot of tense muscles.

 _Stop it._ Of course, he couldn't hear her.

"Oh, that – that feels wonderful."

At least this time it was the Doctor's actions which Seven had to worry about. It was small comfort as she felt her body react to the Doctor's thoughts and feelings.

 _I could just enjoy this all day. She's so good with her hands, so lovely. I could ask her to have dinner…_ _Seven can't fault me for wanting a nice meal with someone whose company I enjoy so much._

Suddenly realizing Seven was probably watching and feeling the whole exchange, the Doctor stood quickly and moved away. He was grateful human females didn't show their arousal to the same degree as males. With fingers figuratively crossed, the Doctor hoped Seven wouldn't notice his reaction as he hurried to reassure Jaryn that she hadn't hurt him.

"Well then, what's wrong?"

"There's something you don't know about me. Something I have to tell you."

 _No, Doctor, don't!_ As disturbed by the whole situation as she was, Seven didn't wish for the EHM to be decompiled if he confessed to their trickery.

"It's all right." Jaryn smiled kindly. "I know." 

"You do? How could you?"

"Your cybernetic implants? Your portable regenerator?"

The Doctor sighed in relief, but Seven was not so quick to relax. Hatred of the Borg was nothing new to her. Though Jaryn and even Captain Ranek clearly had no problem with her, that didn't mean everyone on the ship would be so accepting. It could also mean they wouldn't release her and Ensign Kim as hoped.

"I can't believe you didn't say anything."

"It wouldn't have been appropriate. You're part Borg. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Seven only had a moment to feel grateful at this attitude before a female security officer called for a medic to the holding cells. 

Worried there really might be something wrong with Ensign Kim, the Doctor grabbed a medical kit and hurried to the brig. Upon entering, his concerns seemed validated. Ensign Kim was on the ground, groaning and clutching his stomach. A number of possibilities ran through the Doctor's mind, but they all soon proved irrelevant.

"Where the hell have you been?" Harry hissed, cutting off his groans.

The Doctor sat back on Seven's heels with a frown. "Not particularly original, Ensign, but I suppose it did the trick."

"I had to fake a seizure before the guard would let me see you."

"Calm down. Seven and I have been making progress." He raised the mobile emitter and with more ease than the first time, downloaded his program.

Seven managed not to sway this time, but felt her irritation spike now that she had the ability to voice her opinion.

Harry, eager to escape the confinement of the brig and return to Voyager, hurriedly asked if she had a sufficient look at the computer.

"During the one brief moment when the Doctor wasn't indulging himself."

Thinking of how little he'd had to eat and passing up Ranek's alcohol, the Doctor was defensive. "I think I've shown considerable restraint, under the circumstances."

"Another dinner date?" Harry asked. Seven ignored him.

"Kissing Ranek on the bridge. Is that your idea of restraint?"

Harry didn't know which one of them to look at. "Kissing?" 

"Not that it's any of your business," the Doctor huffed, "but if you must know, Ranek kissed me."

She glared. "We tried to warn you what his intentions were. You ignored us."

"I pushed him away."

"And the massage you got from Lieutenant Jaryn?" She wasn't quite angry enough to out his preoccupation with the kiss in front of Ensign Kim, not yet.

"Entirely therapeutic."

That was too much. He didn't even want to take responsibility for his actions. He'd promised and she knew he'd come way too close to ignoring that promise. "You became sexually aroused in my body."

"When did it become a crime to enjoy a sensation or two? Of course, you'd be the last person to understand that."

Seven stiffened. "What do you mean?"

But the Doctor caught himself, realizing he'd come dangerously close to throwing a barb in the heat of the moment, a barb she neither deserved nor would ever forgive him for. "Nothing. I didn't mean anything."

"I am perfectly capable of enjoying indulgences in moderation," she said, her voice level but threatening to explode, "though you disapprove of them, possibly because they are not to your taste."

The Doctor didn't trust himself to answer.

Harry wasn't entirely sure where this argument was coming from or where it was going, but he knew they didn't have a lot of time. "All right, listen. You can argue all you want when we get back to Voyager, but that's not going to happen unless we come up with a plan. Did you learn anything about their comm. system?"

Seven took a deep breath and focussed on Ensign Kim. "It can only be accessed from the bridge, but I saw Ranek enter his command codes."

Harry nodded. "If we can get those codes to Voyager, they may be able to disable the shields and beam us out."

"We can use the subspace transceiver on the Flyer."

"Can you get aboard?"

Seven contemplated it. "It's heavily guarded."

"I can get us aboard," the Doctor piped up.

"I did not say I couldn't." Seven spared an angry glance at him.

"But can you do it without violence or arousing suspicion?"

Seven glared and even Harry looked uneasy.

"What did you have in mind?" Harry finally asked.

[Delta Flyer – aft]

The Doctor, ensconced in Seven's body again and joined by Captain Ranek in the rear of the Delta Flyer, tried to look alluringly embarrassed. Since it wasn't something he'd had to do before, it was a bit of a trick. "I owe you an apology."

Ranek shook his head, still ashamed of having misread the situation between them so badly. "I was the one who acted inappropriately."

"A kiss is hardly a court martial offence. It's just that you caught me by surprise."

"I won't make that mistake again." Indeed, he wouldn't. The woman had some startling strength in those cybernetic arms. Besides, he truly was ashamed of himself.

"Perhaps we should start over." The Doctor batted Seven's lashes just a little, trying to emulate Sandrine's mistress, who tended to practice the same move to the extreme.

"What did you have in mind?" Though intrigued by this inviting behaviour, Ranek was determined not to overstep his bounds this time. He had never behaved like a boor before and was eager to make up for his earlier blunder.

The question, not delivered in quite the same seductive manner Chakotay would have, nonetheless reminded Seven so much of her lover that she felt a pang. She hadn't realized until then just how much she missed him. Good thing they were working on a way to get back to Voyager.

"We could start with a toast."

"I thought—" 

"Oh, I can make an exception for a special occasion." The Doctor turned to the replicator. "Computer, champagne, two glasses."

Ranek took the offered glass with a tiny, grateful smile.

"To new beginnings," the Doctor toasted.

"Maybe there's some hope for us yet." Ranek's smile widened just a little.

"As I've discovered recently, anything is possible. Computer, dim the lights. Play EMH music file gamma twelve." Tugging Seven's hair out of its restrictive twist, the Doctor pulled Ranek close, but not for an embrace. He began to move, forcing Ranek into a rigorous waltz.

Ranek's brows climbed to his hairline in surprise and confusion. Utterly bewildered at this behavior and yet not wanting to be rude, Ranek went along with the dance. "This is interesting."

"It's called a waltz. Something else I learned from our doctor."

 _I don't remember it being this vigorous, though,_ thought Seven.

The comm. beeped. "Captain Ranek, please come to the bridge."

"What is it?" He answered as best he could while being dragged around the shuttle.

"We've received an encrypted transmission."

"I'll be right there." He stopped moving his feet, forcing Seven to halt as well.

"You're not leaving?" If he hadn't been on the verge of panic at the loss of opportunity, the Doctor might have tried to sound seductive. As it was, he only sounded out of breath. Ranek, luckily, didn't notice.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I really think you should stay." Thinking quickly, the Doctor used Seven's enhanced strength to force Ranek into a twirl and back, swiftly injecting a sedative into Ranek's neck. "Never play hard to get with an hologram."

 _Overdone, but effective,_ thought Seven.

[Voyager - Bridge]

"Still no sign of the Flyer's warp signature." Tuvok, still under the throes of what he and Lieutenant Paris agreed to pretend was the Tarkalean Flu, was feverish and irritable, but he was determined to give his regular updates. _This may be my demise_ , he thought.

Janeway, not fooled by the euphemism for Tuvok's affliction, turned to him with a mix of amusement and sympathy. "I appreciate your sense of duty, Tuvok, but we can handle the situation without you."

"Under the circumstances, abandoning my post would be a dereliction of duty. My illness is still in the early stages. I can control it."

Tom, who was on shift at the helm, did his utmost to keep his back to the conversation and his amusement to himself. _Don't laugh. Don't laugh… This just might kill me._

"If I remember correctly," said Janeway seriously, "the last time you came down with the Tarkalean Flu was seven years ago." Yes, she knew, and Janeway wanted to remind him of that without outright exposing him, not that anyone couldn't guess what was wrong with him. Why did he think he could or should hide his condition from her? It was pure biology, something she and the rest of the crew could easily show sympathy for. "As soon as this is over, the holodeck is at your disposal."

Tuvok nodded, grateful and relieved.

Neelix, never one to neglect a crewmember in distress, chose that moment to enter the bridge with a steaming bowl, speaking so quickly that no one could have stopped him if they tried. "There you are, Commander! Now, a person in your condition really ought to be in bed. This is my grandmother's recipe, guaranteed to cure even the most stubborn flu."

Tom snorted, but was unnoticed since all attention was on Neelix.

"Now, Smell that?" Neelix waved his hand over the top of the bowl so Tuvok would get a waft of the dish.

Janeway found it exceedingly difficult not to laugh. She forced herself to face the viewscreen, but caught a glance at Commander Chakotay as she did. Though he was more strained than any of them over the missing Flyer and crewmembers, even his lips were twitching at the exchange behind them. He pressed a hand to his mouth, trying to fight his amusement.

Tuvok, though exasperated by the Talaxian, obligingly sniffed. "I don't smell anything."

"Exactly. I prepared it just the way you like it. No herbs or spices of any kind. It's practically tasteless!"

His console beeped at him and Tuvok gratefully took refuge in his work. "We're receiving a hail. It's the Delta Flyer."

There was a collective sense of relief around the bridge. Everyone knew Tuvok was suffering, and why, but they forgot it all in the face of finding their missing compatriots. Even Tom focussed more closely on his work and the readings in front of him.

"On screen." Janeway waited with baited breath. The stars disappeared and Seven, looking unusually dishevelled, appeared. Beside her, Chakotay's rapt attention and strain was palpable. "Seven, it's good to see you."

The Doctor shook his head, sending Seven's gold curls bouncing. "I'm afraid there's no time for pleasantries, Captain. We're being held prisoner on a Lokirrim patrol ship. I'm sending you our precise location and the command codes to disable their shields."

It was as they'd suspected, but clearly it wasn't too bad if Seven was able to contact them. She didn't look hurt either, just… different. "Are the Doctor and Harry all right?"

Rolling his eyes, the Doctor was grateful to have someone to grouse to again. "Ensign Kim is his usual chipper self. As for me, I'm looking forward to a long, uneventful shift in Sickbay."

Janeway and Chakotay glanced at each other, their eyes wide. "Doctor?"

"It's a long story, Captain. Delta Flyer out."

 _The Doctor's in Seven's body?_ Chakotay's eyes couldn't get any wider. He shuddered. "They may be in more trouble than we thought."

Janeway nodded, equally surprised by the turn of events. "Set a course."

Tom couldn't believe how entertaining his day had turned out. "Our escort isn't going to take kindly to a detour."

"What's the status of their weapons?"

"They've repaired their forward phasers," Tuvok advised.

"Target their power matrix. We may only get one shot, so make it count."

 _We're coming, Seven._ Chakotay hoped she was okay despite the invasion of the Doctor's programming.

They made good time, arriving within half an hour to the coordinates.

"They're raising shields," said Tuvok.

Janeway nodded. "Stand by with those command codes." She ordered a channel open. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway. We don't want a fight. Return my people and we'll be on our way."

Captain Ranek appeared. "Your people were caught transporting a photonic insurgent and biogenic material." 

"We don't want to disable your ship, but we will if we have to."

Not requiring a verbal order, Chakotay entered the command codes. It worked, but they tried to compensate for the invasion. "They're rerouting power. He's tying their shields directly into the warp matrix."

Ranek couldn't match them if they had his command codes, but he had one bargaining chip. "If you fire on us, you'll trigger a core breach. You'll be killing the people you're here to rescue."

Janeway was done with the chat. "End transmission." The screen turned back to a view of the scene. "Tractor beam."

"Chakotay," Janeway turned to the Commander, "can you send a comm. signal directly to Seven's cortical node?"

He nodded, setting it up before she'd finished the question.

[Lokirrim ship - Bridge]

The Doctor almost jumped as Janeway's voice suddenly invaded his mind. "Doctor, if you can hear me, we need your help. Try to disable their shields."

For a moment, he didn't know what to do. He wasn't a fighter and they were outnumbered. It then struck him; they could be two against one. He swiftly downloaded his program back to his mobile emitter.

Ready for action, Seven was prepared when the Doctor suddenly vacated her system. She swung her arm, knocking the guard closest to her unconscious. She scooped up his weapon as well.

Jaryn, who watched the action, was shocked at the appearance of the hologram they'd thought was decompiled. "It's a photonic."

Seven gave the Doctor the guard's weapon. "Cover me." 

"Stay back! I'm not afraid to use this." He held the weapon up, but the tremble in his voice made it clear he was not as eager to shoot as he claimed.

Working quickly at the closest control panel, Seven was still unprepared and subsequently slightly singed when Captain Ranek shot in her direction. The shot didn't hit her, but damaged the control panel.

"Step away." Ranek, levelled the weapon at Seven, who backed away. Jaryn looked over the damage from her post. 

"She destabilised the shield grid. It's failing." 

Ranek handed off watch of the prisoners to Jaryn.

It was clear what Ranek was going to try to do, but Seven had seen enough of their systems to know his actions would be dangerous. "If you try to re-initialise the grid it'll overload. We could all die."

Ranek ignored her and the Doctor's calls to stop. As anticipated, the panel exploded, sending him sprawling, clearly hurt.

Jaryn watched in horror as the EMH approached her captain. "Stay back."

Ignoring her command, but approaching with care the Doctor knelt down next to the unconscious man. "I'm a doctor. Let me help."

[Cargo Bay Two]

Chakotay leaned against the console as Seven finished putting her report into the computer. "Are you sure you feel all right?"

Seven smiled. "This is the fifth time you have asked me that. Besides requiring regeneration, I am fine."

"I know, but having the Doctor inside your body…"

"More accurately, he was inside my cybernetic implants, using them to control my body." She saw Chakotay's frame tense at that and shared his reaction.

"And you were conscious of everything?"

She nodded.

"Seven." He waited until she looked up at him. "That makes me feel uneasy and it wasn't even my body."

She took a deep, calming breath. "It was to save the Doctor, but I would be lying if I said it was pleasant."

"It can't be easy for you to give up that much control." Even without being female or having lived through it, the very idea felt invasive to the extreme.

Seven hesitated. "I believe he would like to experience more things through a flesh-and-blood body, but I… I can't…"

"It's all right." He put his hand on hers. "You don't have to explain yourself, and you definitely don't have to do that again."

"His actions were nowhere near as deplorable," Seven admitted, squeezing his hand back, "but being trapped in my own body while he had control, it was not unlike the Collective."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." His grip on her hand tightened. "It's been a rough year for you, hasn't it?"

Seven chuckled because it was either that or feel depressed. "Yes, I suppose it has, but it has had its benefits."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not now." It had been a long couple of days and she really was exhausted. Going without regeneration for a few days was one thing, but taking on the Doctor's programming on top of it was a bit much. She dredged up a smile to reassure him. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Smiling back, he nodded and patted the console. "I'll swing by and pick you up for breakfast. If you want, I thought we could also join a few people in Fairhaven in the evening."

"It's a date." He kissed her quickly and she watched him leave before settling into her alcove, the days' events slipping away as oblivion took hold.


	14. Chapter 14

**Moving On**

Chakotay was in a relatively good mood the next morning, cheerily greeting the odd crewmember on his way to the cargo bay.

Though he knew Seven was likely more traumatized by her stint on the Lokirrim ship than she let on, he was simply relieved to have her back and confident they could work through her conflicted feelings together. And he was sure she was conflicted. How could she not be? For all his faults, Seven and the Doctor were friends. Even if they weren't, she would have saved him anyway. Taking on his programming had been her choice, but she'd also had no other acceptable choices left to her at the time. It was well known that there was no greater fear for any human, let alone a former drone, than that of giving up complete control to someone else's will. To be trapped, unable to even voice an opinion… No matter what she said, the idea of it was unpalatable at best.

It briefly occurred to him that he still needed to tell her what Tom and B'Elanna had discovered about the Barclay hologram. Given the rough few days, he decided the news could wait. He himself was more than willing to forget all about it anyway.

Instead of simply walking in, which was everyone's custom to the public space of the cargo bay, Chakotay pressed a few buttons to make the door chime. Only when they slid open on the occupant's command did he enter.

"Chakotay, you're earlier than expected." Seven stood in front of the main console, smiling at him.

"I was eager to see you." It wasn't flattery so much as simple truth. He glanced down at the display in front of her, but she pressed a button and whatever she was looking at disappeared. It naturally made him curious. "What are you up to?"

Though it was somewhat embarrassing, Seven pulled up her research. Her feet shuffled a little as he reviewed her research.

"What's this?" Chakotay was not judgemental, just surprised. "You want to wear a uniform?"

Seven sighed, shifting her weight as she sought to find the words to explain herself. "When we were captured by the Lokirrim, their captain took an interest in me."

Chakotay nodded, having skimmed the Doctor's report but not yet gotten to Seven's more complete rendition.

"I believe my physical appearance was what initially attracted him, whatever of the Doctor's behavior induced him to do afterwards."

"Seven—"

"I am not speaking out of hurt pride or ego." She dipped her head, embarrassed. "When we were boarded, I was disoriented, but I saw how Captain Ranek looked at me. He asked to interrogate me, not Ensign Kim, and then he kissed me…"

"He kissed you?" Chakotay's voice rose.

"The Doctor's report did not include that?"

Chakotay shook his head, a stiff frown marring his usually calm face. "It must have slipped his mind."

"My point is, it led me to consider that my current appearance is problematic." She remembered one of the Doctor's social lessons: Dress for Success. It had occurred to her before that her strict and distinct appearance set her apart from the crowd, making true integration with Voyager's crew just that much more difficult. Until relatively recently, she'd decided appearances were irrelevant. Now she wasn't so sure.

"Seven, you look fine. There's no reason to go changing who you are because of one bad experience."

"Humans and other species place a great deal of importance on appearances and, I must admit, I am not eager not to be so quickly singled out as I was by Captain Ranek." She had never paid much attention to the looks she received, but now she had Chakotay and a better understanding of social conventions, the things she'd once dismissed were feeling increasingly relevant. She didn't want to be in the position she was with Ranek again.

 _I'm going to decompile the Doctor myself_ , Chakotay thought. He hated that anyone could make Seven feel this way, even if it was inadvertent. "If you want to change your appearance, do it for yourself, not for anyone else. As for Ranek, I doubt a change in clothing would have made a difference. You're a beautiful woman and people will be attracted to you, but that doesn't mean you should feel bad or take on responsibility. Ranek's actions are on him. I'm going to assume that if you'd been in control, things wouldn't have gone as far as they did."

Seven nodded. Indeed, if the Doctor had simply listened to her and Ensign Kim, he might have been able to dissuade the misguided Lokirrim captain.

"The important thing to remember is that you're a strong woman, able to handle anything."

Seven gave him a tiny smile. "You would not be bothered by a change in my wardrobe?"

Chakotay laughed. "Did you hear me complaining about your dresses?" A sobering thought occurred to him. "You know I wasn't just attracted by your appearance, right?"

"I know." She might have teased him, even contemplated it, but his question and the creases of concern around his eyes was a little too serious for her to play with him just then. Despite the revealing biosuits, Chakotay's eyes had never roved the way some men's eyes did. "Your behaviour has always been respectful, even though you disliked me initially."

"I didn't dislike—" The arch of her brow and knowing turn of her lips was enough to stop him short. "It was more of an intense distrust."

"Given the nature of our relationship now, you either have masochistic tendencies or you 'got over it,' as they say." In fact, she had difficulty understanding what had attracted him at all since he'd been immune to her Borg-sculpted physique from the start. Certainly, it must mean his feelings had developed based on something else, something more substantial.

Loving how the teasing glint in her eyes grew, he answered in kind. "Well, you are troublesome. Could be a little bit of both." Unable to resist, he leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. "I got over it a long time ago."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Well, it's not like you made it easy for me to hate you, what with you saving the ship and integrating as well as you did."

Her smile grew, entertained by his ability to overlook the difficulty she gave him and Janeway initially. "I believe the term for your perspective now would be 'seeing through rose-coloured glasses.'"

"You don't give yourself enough credit."

"Sometimes it is difficult to feel like a full member of the crew." Lifting a shoulder, she gave a partial shrug. Her first few months and even year onboard she was apart from everyone simply because she was learning and still under the strong mental hold of the Borg. She'd eventually improved, but not to the point where she felt like a normal human being.

In truth, Chakotay had realized a long time ago that Seven deliberately kept herself aloof and reinforced the Borg image. While Janeway had huffed about it, he'd seen it for what it really was: a desperate attempt to hold onto the only control she felt she had and put up defences against a crew she neither knew, nor fully trusted.

And, looking at her as she stood on the precipice of change, he finally realized that as much as he'd not trusted her at first, she had an even more difficult time trusting him, trusting the crew. She had probably considered a regular uniform before, but couldn't bring herself to give up that defence, the image of an intimidating Borg drone.

That thought pressed him into action.

"What are you doing?" Seven asked. He moved to stand beside her, taking over the controls.

"If you want to try out a uniform, let's try it out. If you don't like it, you can change back."

"The crew will comment."

"Let them." In no time, he replicated the crewman's uniform and Seven changed, amusing and arousing him as she shed her clothing in front of him without so much as a blush.

"Acceptable?" She smoothed down the black jacket nervously.

Chakotay had to admit, she wore it well. "I like you better without it, but it'll do."

Confused, she held up the biosuit.

"Without that either." He smirked as that finally made a pink tinge appear on her cheeks.

"Chakotay…"

"Come on, I'm starving."

[Mess Hall]

People took second looks, but it wasn't as bad as Seven feared. It seemed the change was accepted. It was just the initial surprise as people did doubletakes to confirm it was her and wonder at the reasoning behind it.

Harry was sitting with Tom and B'Elanna when he caught sight of a strangely familiar shock of blond hair attached to a crewman's uniform. The woman turned her head, giving him a clear look at her face.

"Are you okay?" Tom watched in concern as Harry spit up a bit of his morning tea and began to cough.

"You need lessons on how to drink, Starfleet?" B'Elanna smiled as Harry continued to hack, his watering eyes still turned to the blonde. "What is it? What the…"

Finally clearing his airway, Harry took a deep gulp of air. "It just surprised me."

B'Elanna could hardly believe her eyes. "Holy crap."

"Well, how do you like that?" Tom, B'Elanna and Harry watched the Commander and Seven get breakfast and settle at a table together.

Harry remembered what the Doctor had blurted out in his drunken ramble on the Lokirrim ship. He'd dismissed the seemingly ridiculous idea of the two dating, let alone sleeping together. However, seeing them together like that made him realize it wasn't rambling. _They really are a couple._

"See," said Chakotay, deliberately ignoring the curious looks they garnered. "No big deal."

Seven gave a little shrug, pleased and slowly relaxing as she let the chatter of the surrounding crew fade into the background. It was pleasant and peaceful as she and Chakotay caught each other up on the various details of the days they'd missed together.

They parted ways in the corridor, which was too crowded with morning commuters for them to do more than smile and promise to meet in his quarters for dinner before going to Fairhaven. It felt as though some of Chakotay's calm had been loaned to her, letting her float through the better half of her day with only minimal consciousness of her change in wardrobe.

"Oh, Seven!" Crewman Tal Celes stopped short on her way into astrometrics. She was there – an hour late – to fix one of the relays in one of the wall panels.

"Good afternoon, Crewman." Seven turned back to work. In her good mood, she chose not to comment on Celes' tardiness. Besides, Seven knew a few systems more important than the minor relay in her section were acting up.

"Afternoon." Celes went to the wall panel, nervously eyeing Seven as she did.

Seven, absorbed in her work, was oblivious to the curious looks of the Bajoran woman.

"So," gathering courage when no rebuke came for her late response, "new uniform?"

"It is." _Obviously._

"Oh." Celes pulled off the panel and began to work. It wasn't a complex fix and was done in half an hour. Still glancing furtively at Seven, Celes didn't run away as she normally would have. "So, if you don't mind me asking, why the uniform?"

"An experiment."

"Experiment? To see if you like it?"

Seven gave a quick nod, not daring to look up from her work.

"Oh." Celes thought a moment. "It looks good on you."

That did get Seven's attention. She looked up, but Celes smiled and left quickly, in a hurry to get to her next task.

The doors closed behind her, leaving Seven to contemplate the simple exchange. It was without question the longest and most pleasant conversation she'd ever had with the other woman.

Perhaps the familiarity of the uniform made her seem more approachable. A part of her scoffed. A change in clothes did not change the individual. Still, there was no mistaking the difference in Celes' manner.

 _Humans are strange._

[Chakotay's Bedroom]

Seven sighed and curled on her side to watch Chakotay's features, their bodies still twined and twisted in his bedsheets. Carefully, she raised her left hand to trace the contours of his beloved face.

It was amazing to her how quickly she'd become accustomed to sharing physical intimacy, and not just sex either. She revelled in the way he'd reach for her hand, the warmth of having him close, and the simple touches when his leg or arm brushed hers. It was quickly becoming her habit to trace his tattoo, as much as it was his habit to trail his fingertips along the edges of her implants. Somehow those small moments were even more precious to her, more illustrative of their relationship.

Without realizing it, she smiled widely.

"What's funny?" Chakotay felt his own lips pull into a grin, though he didn't know what the joke was.

She shook her head slightly. "I love you."

"And that's funny?" As her grin widened, so did his.

"Isn't it ironic considering how we met?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it is." Taking her hand, he pressed a kiss to the palm. "I love you too."

"I'm keeping the uniform."

"Good. I'm glad you like it." He sat up a little, his eyes catching sight of the discarded clothing on the floor. "Though, I still prefer your clothes on the ground."

Seven laughed. "As do I, but I don't think the Captain or Starfleet would appreciate such a sense of style while on duty."

"I think I could persuade Starfleet to change their rules," he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Pulling the covers up to take an assessing look at him, Seven forced her face into seriousness. He lay, unashamed and stifling laughter under her scrutiny. "Yes, you could."

"Well, that's all the encouragement I need. I'll propose it in my next letter home." He pulled her in, cuddling her close.

"You had better." Seven settled against him, hearing his heart beating out a lullaby as she relaxed.

Chakotay's chest rose in a contented sigh. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

Seven laughed, snuggling closer.

[Sickbay]

"Do you have plans for your shore leave?" The Doctor ran his customary scan of Seven as she sat on the biobed. He eyed the uniform she still wore in place of her biosuit. She'd pushed the time between her maintenance exams so it was the first time the Doctor viewed the change. Mixed feelings accompanied the realization she both wore it well and seemed softened by it, more approachable and less harsh.

"I do," she replied stiffly.

They had just entered the space of a benign species known as the Ovions. After a little easy negotiation on Janeway's part, the crew could all look forward to shore leave. Everyone was excited.

Seven herself was only hours away from leave with Chakotay and though he had an early shift the morning following their time off, he'd promised they had enough time to see the Ovion's central space station.

The central space station, where most of Voyager's crew would explore, was set up just beyond the Ovion home world, Henova, within its own orbit around their primary star, like a man-made planet of unique complexity. It was rumoured to be quite impressive, larger than any station in the Alpha Quadrant and rivalling even the Borg's construction for complexity. It was suspected this had something to do with the Ovion's own biological complexity. Hexapods like the Ovions were both rare and agile, allowing them to build things in ways bipedal beings simply would not.

"I assume these plans are with the Commander?" The Doctor kept his voice cheerful, but it was increasingly difficult as she gave him short answers and avoided looking at him. Though she had not been outright rude or obviously avoided him, it was clear she had not yet forgiven him for his behavior while occupying her body.

She sighed, reminded of his rambling to Jaryn about commanding officers, and his loose lips about her relationship. "It is."

Her cool tone left him in no doubt as to whether or not to follow that line of conversation. He completed his scan. "Well, you have a few things slightly out of alignment, but otherwise you're fit as a fiddle. We can fix them when you get back. Enjoy your leave."

With a nod, she stood and headed swiftly to go.

The cold address, the way she practically ran from him… it was too much. "Seven!" he called as she got to the doors. She turned, her stiff posture not helping him find his voice at all. He tried to think of something eloquent, but could only blurt two words. "I'm sorry."

It didn't make up for what he did, but Seven deigned to face him. She raised a brow, as much of an indication to continue as she felt like giving.

"Feeling what it was like to have a biological body, it was an amazing experience." He clasped his hands, frowning over them nervously. "It was intoxicating, but that's no excuse for getting carried away like I did, and I must admit I should have listened to you and Ensign Kim."

"Your conversation with Jaryn."

"Yes?"

"Is that how you feel about my relationship with Commander Chakotay?"

He hesitated. There was no way he could possibly be honest about that. It would take a phaser to his head to make him admit how he wished the Commander were a less worthy contender. Some captains and commanders did have a reputation for being promiscuous, but that stereotype did not apply to Voyager. He wished the Commander would do something foolish to lose her trust. He wished that she could have returned his feelings instead of the Commander's. However, at that point he was willing to settle for the return of her friendship.

She raised a brow, conscious of his delay.

"No, I don't." He smiled reassuringly at her, forcing himself to reluctantly admit as much truth as he could. "The Commander is a fine choice and he's lucky to have you."

It was as good as she was going to get and better than she really hoped for. "You are forgiven."

Hoping to cement her forgiveness and restore some normality, he instantly beamed. "Excellent. Then maybe you would like to accompany me to the Ovion's concert hall tomorrow. We can make an evening of it."

She'd promised to accompany Neelix, Naomi, and Icheb on their tour of the most prominent university of Henova tomorrow. The Doctor's eager, hopeful smile prevented her from rejecting the offer. It was going to be a long day.

Delighted by her nod, the Doctor pulled out a PADD and brought up the symphony information. "I'll meet you here and we can transport down together."

"As I will be on the planet already, I will meet you at the music hall."

"Oh, all right." He smiled again and watched her leave with relief, thankful holding a grudge was not one of the parts of humanity she'd picked up yet.

[Chakotay's Quarters]

Seven entered, hesitating just a little. Despite Chakotay providing her with an entry code and programming the computer to allow her full access a few weeks ago, simply walking in was not yet a comfortable habit.

Chakotay looked up from his spot on the couch reading a PADD with the morning reports. He smiled, noticing the pause in her step. "You have to stop doing that. You're making me nervous."

"Nervous?" She sat next to him, his arm immediately going around her shoulder.

"It's as though you're deciding whether to stay or flee."

She smiled at him. "Why would I flee? You're not frightening."

He feigned hurt. "I'll have you know I was a revered captain in the Maquis. Everyone feared me."

"They may have pretended to."

"They called me Crazy Indian Chief!" He tried to keep a straight face, but her grin made that impossible. "What? Don't you believe me?"

"Not at all."

Tossing the PADD aside, he wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her down, rolling on top of her with a growl. She didn't so much as squeak at the swift change in position. She smiled up serenely, challenging his claim of fierceness so sweetly that he kissed her.

"Is this your attempt to frighten me?" Her eyes twinkled. "I'm not sure you understand what fear is."

"Maybe I've just met my match."

"Does that make me the Crazy Borg Queen?"

"The craziest." He bent his head once more, thoroughly enjoying himself until...

"If we are going to see the station, we should leave now."

He signed and cursed her internal chronometer. Still, he had promised and he wanted to see the alien station as well. "You're right."

Seven wasn't any happier about the loss of his weight and warmth against her than he was about sitting up. It pleased her, however, to think how she'd make it up to him later. Though they were not going to be together the whole day, they did have tomorrow off, which meant they could sleep in should they stay up late. He had a dinner with Janeway scheduled, but after that he was all hers.

[Ready Room]

Captain Janeway tried not to smile in amusement as the Ovion ambassador, a female if her lighter colouring really was a proper indication, shuffled around Voyager's ready room. The Ovion was as curious about Voyager as Janeway was about them. The Ovion's flat face and short snout twisted and turned and sniffed, trying to observe everything at once.

"It's not often we get visitors from so far away, or in such unique circumstances," said Ambassador Lol.

"We hear that a lot." Janeway gestured to the seats along the window. "Would you care to look around? We can then begin a proper tour of Voyager."

Lol's black eyes shone with increased excitement. "Thank you!"

It was impossible to stop from smiling as the gorilla-like alien moved around the room, sniffing here and there. The Ovions had clearly developed in a unique way.

In basic design, the Ovions were not unlike Earth's apes with squat bodies leaned over and the capacity to gallop or walk on all six legs or just two. Since evolution eventually deemed grasping objects was a useful trait, the front and rear limbs had developed opposable digits, which allowed them to climb and build tools. Though not overly furry, the females were distinguishable from the males by their lighter colouring.

After examining Janeway's desk, Lol examined the scene from the large windows and tested the replicator. Satisfying herself with the ready room, Lol took the short leap back down from the upper platform and raised herself up onto her four hind limbs, the better to address the taller human. She'd found nothing out of the common way for foreign starships, but was too polite to say so.

Janeway gestured to the door and the two began their tour.

[Corridor]

They hurried to the transporter room where a short line was already formed. No one batted an eye that she arrived with the Commander. Earlier on, a few whispers had been heard about Seven dating the Commander, but as it neither resulted in a change of behavior towards herself or Chakotay, nor contained malicious commentary, Seven shrugged off the gossip as irrelevant and it faded away fairly quickly.

"Henova or space station?" the ensign operating the controls asked.

"Station," said Chakotay as they and two others stepped onto the transporter pads.

The familiar walls of Voyager shimmered away and were soon replaced by lush plants and bright sunlight.

"Impressive," Seven commented as they all glanced around in appreciation.

They had been transported to one of the station's biodomes. It was a glass-walled garden twice as large as Voyager teeming with flora and small fauna. A butterfly with iridescent red wings floated by, joining a hundred other breeds as they moved from bright flower to bright flower.

"Voyagers!" A cheerful voice translated by the comm. badges greeted them. An Ovion male – recognizable as a male only because of his darker skin tone – emerged from the dense leaves around them. "I'm Uruk. I'll give you a brief overview and then you can explore as you like."

As they were lectured on how to get around the station, Seven analyzed the architecture in front of them with curiosity.

Highly intelligent, but also close to the land of their home world, the Ovions incorporated biotechnology and aspects of nature into their spaceships as well as the space station. Hence, the enormous garden districts. The insertion of gardens normally would have been deemed foolish by the Borg, but the Ovions made it a useful addition. Not only did the flora provide food, fresh air and clean their water, the garden provided a mental and emotional benefit to the occupants. It was quite beautiful and the plants themselves could be processed to provide a variety of natural products.

Uruk finished his speech and led the way to the door to the rest of the station. With a cheerful wave of his front leg, he wished the four Voyager crewmen a pleasant time.

"They must like to climb," said Chakotay. He eyed the elaborate textures of the walls around them, which were designed to allow strong, dexterous fingers to grab hold and climb any which way they pleased.

They rounded a corner and his statement was confirmed by the sight of an Ovion walking along the ceiling. It glanced down at them as it moved along, its intelligent black eyes full of curiosity.

[Engineering]

Lol wanted to climb the railing to the upper deck. Janeway could tell by the way the Ovion ambassador's eyes wandered upwards, her fingers clenching. The only thing preventing the ambassador from following the natural impulse was that Lol had met enough bipedal creatures to know such a move would be highly unusual, perhaps even dangerous.

"Captain. Ambassador." B'Elanna nodded to them both. Though not used to seeing non-bipedal aliens, B'Elanna was able to not stare. It was hard, but she managed it.

As B'Elanna led Lol around Engineering, Janeway lagged behind, eventually finding a nook with an empty seat. With a grateful sigh, she sat, flexing her sore feet. She wasn't used to being up and about for so long. Lol was fast on her multiple legs, but liked to dawdle over things she hadn't seen before. Unusually friendly, she also spent a great deal of time chatting with any stray crewmembers they met along the way. Janeway dreaded their stop at the mess. No doubt Lol and Neelix would talk for hours if allowed.

She was keeping an ear open for the return of the ambassador, which meant she was prepped to hear even things she shouldn't.

"Did you see them?"

"Who?"

"Seven of Nine and the Commander. They were lined up for the transporter room."

Janeway wasn't hiding exactly, but she was hidden by a bulkhead and console. As a result, she couldn't see who was speaking and she didn't immediately recognize the voices, only that they were male. If she tucked herself a little further back, it was not to eavesdrop but to relax further into her seat. That's what she told herself anyway.

"Yeah, I heard they were dating."

"I wouldn't think a Borg would be to his taste."

Janeway almost stood then, her protectiveness for Seven overshadowing her curiosity, but the men continued and she was shocked into stillness.

"The Captain either." A low laugh. "But I guess this means he's over her."

"I didn't believe those rumours."

"Who says they're rumours?"

"Are you a scientist or not? Show me proof and I'll believe you."

"Whatever. If it's true and they were together, then she kept him wriggling around on the hook long enough."

"Speculation."

"Bet the Captain's jealous."

"I still don't believe it."

"Fine. If it's all hot air, then I still have to wonder what's kept him single for so long."

The second man laughed. "It's a small ship and I don't see you in a committed relationship."

"Still, I think he had a torch for her and he's just settling."

A louder laugh. "Settling? I'd give my left nut to date Seven."

"She's so… Borg."

"I dunno. I bet once you get that catsuit – er, uniform off, she's a firecracker."

The voices moved away, leaving Janeway sitting there in stunned disturbance. For one thing, she didn't like her crew talking so crudely about one of their own, least of all Seven. Still, she supposed they hadn't said anything too terrible. No, what really shocked her was the part about her supposed romance with Chakotay.

At first it was easy to dismiss the thought of being with Chakotay, but the idea popped right back.

 _I could have had him._ She knew that. She'd always known that, but she'd denied the impulse, still believing Mark was just a spark of luck away. As the months and years dragged on, however, the reality of their long journey burned away even her optimism. Even then she never displayed an interest and they settled into a pleasant, plutonic relationship.

 _I could have had him._

Were they right? Was she jealous?

 _No._

 _Maybe._

That she could not immediately answer with full confidence left her thoughtful.

 _They told me they were together awhile ago,_ she thought. _I wasn't jealous then, was I?_ She didn't think so. For a few weeks she'd watched and listened to gauge if they were both happy and if it was affecting their work or the gossip mill. However, both motives had been honourable and out of concern for her ship and her friends. Both Seven and Chakotay seemed happy and, much to her surprise, no gossip had reached her ears until they began dating more openly. Even then, people's speculation fell short of the truth and was short lived.

 _Maybe I did feel some regret when I found out. It was only natural, but I'm over it now. Is he?_

She shook her head, trying to dismiss it all as absurd. _It is. It is ridiculous._

As though to mock her attempt to ignore her overheard conversation, hours later, she and Chakotay had dinner together.

As they chatted amiably and sipped wine, she realized it had actually been a few weeks since they spent time together like this. They'd both been busy, but she'd missed it. He was easy to talk to and filled her in on the little things around the ship she wouldn't otherwise have known. He was also one of the few people she could confide in. Even from the start of their journey he proved to be a patient, safe, and honest listener.

Looking across the table at him as he laughed at an anecdote, she thought he must have missed their time together too.

That led her back to the twirling questions her eavesdropping had dredged up.

Janeway cleared her throat. "So, what's Seven doing this evening?"

"She insisted on catching up on some work since she'll be on the planet all day tomorrow." He kept his attention on Kathryn, but his mind wandered a little as he imagined Seven in astrometrics. Fighting a sigh, he wished he'd begged to postpone his evening with Kathryn. Her cooking had never improved and it made him desperately miss Seven's meals. Besides, they'd had a good time on the space station and he wished they had more time to explore.

"I see." She smiled. "No one could ever accuse her of lacking work ethic."

"No, they could not." He smiled too, his indulgent adoration speaking volumes.

It was then that Janeway knew the truth in her heart as well as her mind.

"You're a lucky man, Chakotay." Janeway grew more serious. "I didn't say it before, but I should have. I'm happy for the two of you. I really am."

Somewhat taken aback by this spontaneous confession, Chakotay could only lift his wine glass in thanks. "I know I am."

 _I could have had him a long time ago,_ she decided, _but it would have been a mistake and we wouldn't have been happy._ It wouldn't have lasted, not long. She sipped her wine and was content.

[Henova]

Seven nodded a farewell to Neelix, Icheb and Naomi as they headed to the transport site. The trio were happy and exhausted from their hours of wandering all over the large city. Even Seven longed for rest. As much as she enjoyed sleeping in Chakotay's arms, it was not as restful as regeneration, but she was due to meet the Doctor in a few minutes and she wouldn't let a little fatigue stop her.

"Seven!" The Doctor smiled widely.

"You're early." She noted his camera. "Have you been looking around?"

"A little, but not much. I only arrived about a half hour ago."

Seven nodded and they entered the music hall together.

"I'm glad we were able to do this."

"As am I." Seven looked around. The hall wasn't that different from human concert halls. Acoustics worked the same no matter the species. The only thing that differed were the decorations.

"It's very…" The Doctor waved a hand, but words failed him.

"Floral," Seven supplied. It was a homage to nature, just like the space station, and the university campuses, and the rest of Ovion city construction. It was an indulgence for the eyes. Seven thought it was lovely and then smiled, thinking how dating Chakotay had changed her.

Like the space station, the first thing anyone could notice was how every wall besides the stage was alive. Plants of every shape, size, and colour were placed in pockets along the walls. They flowed out, many flowering, to transform the construction into an artificial jungle. Automated watering and fertilizing units ensured each plant was a thriving beauty. In consideration of the more infirm, and of bipedal tourists, there were stairs as well as holds for the Ovions to climb to the upper balconies.

They were slightly early for the show and so were able to wander the auditorium before taking their seats. Together, Seven and the Doctor admired the construction, the mesh of nature and artifice. Neither Seven nor the Doctor was particularly interested in horticulture, but it was nearly impossible to not be impressed with the Ovion's ingenuity.

The Doctor snapped a few holo-photos of the auditorium and then turned and his figurative breath stopped.

Seven, oblivious to the attention she drew, reached out and cupped a delicate bloom. The lights of the auditorium glinted off the drops of water left from the most recent watering. She leaned in and sniffed the blue lily-like flower. It was like honey, chai spice, and vanilla. It was a comforting scent, similar to Chakotay's aftershave with regards to the effect it produced. She sniffed again, the scent stirring some memory from childhood she'd long forgotten. Unknowingly, the edges of her lips lifted in an enigmatic smile.

With only the thought of capturing the entrancing moment, the Doctor lifted his camera and snapped a picture. She remained ignorant and he sighed, feeling like a voyeur or peeping tom into an intimate moment.

She had no hold on the memory the scent lured her to, no way to actually grasp at the images and feelings lurking beneath her consciousness. The Borg had taken her too young for her to remember much of her childhood, too young to get more than a general sense of things dredged up by her olfactory senses. All she knew was that she felt happy and comforted by the smell of the flower.

She was beautiful, a fact the Doctor had been all too aware of for a long time. Sure, he'd had his moments of frustration with her, but he'd always enjoyed her company and the challenge she presented.

He loved her.

 _Stop it_ , he told himself. _You can't love her._

No, he was certain that he was in love with her, and in the heat of the moment, he believed it was now or never. The Doctor would tell her how he felt and let the chips fall where they may.

"Shall we find our seats?" Seven released the flower, letting it bounce back to its original placement. She turned to the EHM, unaware of anything extraordinary having taken place.

The Doctor nodded, the moment fading as he got cold feet.

 _She's in a relationship with the Commander._

 _Relationships break all the time._

As numerous Ovions and a smattering of other random species began filtering in, Seven and the Doctor took their seats.

The lights faded and the Doctor looked at Seven, entranced by the shadows playing across her face.

 _Now or never._

[Holodeck]

"You serve." Tom handed Seven the tennis ball while B'Elanna and Chakotay returned to their starting positions.

It was a combative round, eventually coming down to the half Klingon and former drone, their competitiveness driving them to face off practically at the net's lip. The men fell back to catch what their mates missed, which was practically nothing.

Seven returned B'Elanna's hit and B'Elanna responded in kind, grunting with the effort. The scene repeated itself over and over again, the women growing more tired with every volley and yet unwilling to give up.

The computer beeped and the scene froze. Their time on the holodeck was up.

"Wait, who won?" B'Elanna turned to Harry, who sat on the sidelines with Samantha Wildman, his partner. They shrugged. B'Elanna looked to Seven, who raised a brow, but didn't answer.

"Hun, it's just a friendly game," Tom reminded his wife, who swore in Klingon.

As Tom attempted to console his sweating and thwarted wife, Chakotay put an arm around Seven's waist and led her to the side where Harry and Samantha were getting ready to leave.

"This was a good idea, Sam," Chakotay commended.

Sam shrugged. She'd been a tennis player since a child, only stopping the practice when she met her husband and became preoccupied with romance and a family. Since Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant, she'd lost all interest in the game. Her suggestion to play tennis for a game night had only come about because Naomi asked into her mother's previous hobbies and then repeated them to Neelix while he tried to think of events for the crew.

"You are a worthy opponent," said Seven. She and Chakotay played Sam and Harry before Tom and B'Elanna.

"I'm still pretty rusty," said Sam with a tiny smile. "I haven't played in forever."

"Then your skill must be exceptional when in practice."

Sam chuckled and waved away the praise, but was really very pleased. Compliments from Seven were rare and honest, something that made them precious even to those who didn't need or seek her approval.

"Ready for dinner?" Chakotay asked, pressing a kiss to Seven's cheek. She blushed, unaccustomed to the public display, which made him kiss her again. Normally, he would have followed it up with some teasing, but something felt off. Besides just embarrassed, Seven felt stiff against him. It was strange and worrisome.

"Yes."

"Oh, hey, you two!" Tom called after the retreating couple. "Don't forget tomorrow is cards!"

"We'll be there," Chakotay said, waving a farewell to the pilot. He ushered Seven outside.

"What's your hurry?" Seven barely had time to nod to the others before the doors closed behind them.

"Game nights are fun," said Chakotay, his hand still on the small of her back, "but I've enjoyed having you to myself. I guess I'm spoiled."

Seven chuckled. "Greedy would be a more accurate portrayal."

"Guilty." He increased the pressure on her back. "Besides, I have to make up the time you were on Henova."

Seven smiled and moved along well enough, but her gaze was distracted, focussed on an internal debate rather than what was around her.

"It feels like we haven't had a quiet night together for a long time," said Chakotay.

"Almost a week," she answered automatically. After her evening with the Doctor, she'd barely spent any time with Chakotay. It wasn't as though she was avoiding him, but she still felt a prickle of guilt. She'd been distracted and twirling over the same thoughts and confused feelings, which led her to work late and seek regeneration instead of sleeping in his bed.

Far from oblivious to the change in her behaviour, Chakotay glanced sideways at Seven, more determined to spend the evening alone with her and perhaps get to the bottom of her aloof manner. Joining the others for a friendly game of tennis had been part of his plan, simple as it was. It was an attempt to restore some normalcy. The rest required some privacy.

Dinner was already partly prepared so all they had to do was toss it in the oven to warm up and make a salad. Chakotay volunteered for the task so Seven could shower first.

She nodded as Chakotay offered to take on the responsibility of cooking, her gaze distant again as she left Chakotay to sigh alone in the kitchen. In truth, he was growing concerned with every passing moment. Something was clearly upsetting Seven, but she wasn't confiding in him. That bothered him the most.

He thought back to when it had started and believed he could place the change in behaviour to right after their time with the Ovions. She'd been fine during their tour so he knew whatever happened must have occurred the day after. A fight with Neelix or Naomi was highly unlikely as was an issue with Icheb, which left him with one suspect.

Dinner turned out to be an unusually quiet affair.

"So, how did you enjoy your first tennis game?"

"It was pleasant."

"Would you like to do it again?"

"Perhaps."

"Cards tomorrow. You going to take Tom for all he's worth again?" Chakotay smiled, trying to force some teasing, but she wasn't paying attention. "Seven?"

"Yes?"

He sighed. Clearly this couldn't wait any longer. "What's wrong?"

She hesitated. "Nothing important."

"Please give me a little credit, Seven. What's going on?"

Shuffling uncomfortably, Seven could no longer debate with herself. It had been a few days and no solution to her conflict presented itself, nothing except to tell Chakotay the cause of her distance. "Very well. The Doctor declared his feelings for me. He claims he's in love with me."

That wasn't what he'd expected, but he wasn't entirely surprised. "When?"

"While we were on Henova. I wasn't sure whether it was wise to tell you."

"Do you feel the same way?" It was a question he didn't want to ask, but felt the need to pose given her behaviour. He kept his tone even, but it wasn't easy, his heart hurting at the thought that she could say she preferred the EMH. They were close, after all, and naturally spent a lot of time together. It was far from impossible that she could develop feelings for the Doctor.

"No."

There was too much hesitation in her voice for his comfort. "Are you sure?"

"I'm…" Seven shook her head, but her mind was torn in two. "I appreciate his friendship and I admire him, but I don't…"

Trying to remain calm in the face of her uncertainty, Chakotay nodded. Inside, he was awash in alternating anger at the Doctor and sadness that she didn't immediately assure him of her feelings. Still, he wouldn't pressure her for something she couldn't give and there was no joy in being with someone who didn't return affection in full.

"I'm sorry, Chakotay, I…"

"It's all right, Seven." It took everything he had to keep his voice calm. He was sadly reminded of once telling her she was stuck with him until she could come up with a proper argument to end their relationship. Desiring someone else was certainly something he couldn't ignore.

"I love you," she assured him.

"I know," He believed she did, but… "but maybe that's not enough." He glanced away. "If you think you might prefer him—"

"I don't…" _I don't know._ She didn't think so, not at all, but the Doctor had brought up some logical points. It simply made more sense for her to spend her time with the EMH. And yet she didn't feel romantic about him. He'd said she needed to explore beyond Chakotay, to test out her options, to allow herself to see how good the Doctor would be for her. Was it true? Was she only with the Commander because the opportunity had been there first? It was unfair to both of them if that were even a little true.

"Maybe you need to take the time to figure out what you want." He wanted her to say there was no conflict, but he didn't want her to simply say it. He wanted it to be true.

Seven, for her part, wished to reason against the suggestion, but the Doctor's arguments, the simple logic of them, made her pause.

 _Time. Give her time._ In the past, he'd argued, pressed his case, but this instance he felt that was the opposite of what he should do. After all, if he pressured her and she gave in, the underlying conflict would not be resolved.

Seven looked around at the remains of their dinner. Needing to do something, she began to clean up.

Chakotay stood and helped, biting back the impulse to tell her he'd take care of the mess; this way he could prolong their time together if only for a few more minutes. Normally, they would have moved together, making jokes and discussing their day. However, neither one felt much like talking anymore.

When they were done, Seven bid a quiet goodnight to Chakotay, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek and left for the cargo bay. Sadness tugged at her as he let her go without protest.

It felt like the longest walk of her life and tears were trickling down her cheeks by the time she reached the safety of the dark cargo hold.

[Harry's Quarters]

The players had all gathered, but hadn't started their game yet, waiting for the last two of their group. Around the table in the middle of Harry's main room were Tom, Harry, Neelix, Ensign Tabor, and Vorik, who had taken a liking to beating his fellow crewmembers at cards. B'Elanna puttered in the kitchenette, sorting out the plates and various foodstuffs.

The door chimed and Harry called for the person to enter. He didn't really look away from his conversation with Tabor besides to give a quick wave to greet Chakotay.

"You're late," B'Elanna chastised with a teasing smile. She was about to make a joke about his girlfriend having an internal clock when she noticed the absence of the blonde. "Where's Seven?"

"She's not coming."

"What's wrong?" It didn't require any great insight to see that he was deeply upset. B'Elanna noted with concern the droop in his shoulders, his glossy gaze, and the frown that appeared to be carved right into his face like a stone statue.

"We…" It was difficult to sum it all up.

"What? Did you have a fight?" She could see the others at the table weren't paying them any attention, but kept her voice low anyway.

He shook his head. "Not exactly."

"Then what happened? You look like your dog died."

As succinctly as he could, Chakotay summed up the night before, taking care not to suggest he in any way blamed or was angry with Seven. No, if he was angry, it was with the EMH. He was glad he spoke calmly; B'Elanna looked ready to explode.

"I'm going to—"

"B'Elanna, please don't." He held up a hand. "Please. For my sake, just let her work things out in her own time and don't accuse her of anything. She didn't do anything wrong."

"She hurt you."

He couldn't help smiling. She made it sound like a capital offence. "I'll be fine. Please."

She took a deep breath, blowing it out through her nose in a huff. "Fine."

Though B'Elanna appeared to calm herself, Chakotay briefly wondered if he should warn Seven to not turn her back on the engineer.

After a bit of thought, B'Elanna narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you try to convince her to stay?"

"I…"

"Chakotay, did you even try?"

"No." He felt his back get up as she sighed dramatically. "B'Elanna, what was I going to say?"

"Oh, I don't know. How about _anything_?"

"And then what would happen? She'd stay, but we'd both be wondering if she really does like the Doctor more than me."

"Did you ever consider that she does like the Doctor, but not the way you think?" B'Elanna asked quietly. "She's still relatively new to all this and she's relied on him to teach her humanity more than anyone. Lines get blurred sometimes between teachers and students. I had a friend at the Academy who thought she was in love with her warp mechanics teacher, but she really just admired him, looked up to him like an idol. Maybe Seven doesn't understand the difference yet." _And maybe the Doctor doesn't want her to._

Chakotay shrugged. He hoped that was the case, that her relationship with the Doctor was just strong enough to be confused with something more than it was but ultimately settled into its rightful place.

"Are you two gonna play or just sit there all night?" Tom called out.

Chakotay sighed and B'Elanna threw a retort at her husband, but they moved to sit and begin the first round of cards with as much enthusiasm as they could muster.

[Corridor]

Less than two weeks later, Chakotay hesitated to enter sickbay. Not having a dangerous job and Voyager not having been in any firefights for a long while (long for them anyway), he'd not had to go to sickbay or speak to the Doctor, not since before Seven told him the Doctor declared his feelings for her.

Chakotay would have liked to continue not speaking to the EMH, but it was his job to handle the duty roster and many of the personnel issues that came up, and the Doctor had asked to see him. He sighed, but straightened his shoulders, donned his commanding officer's façade and forced himself to go in.

There was only the EMH inside. "Ah, Commander."

"You wanted to see me?"

The Doctor nodded. "I'd like to request a temporary leave of absence. You remember the Ovions?"

Chakotay nodded. _As though I'll ever forget._ Indeed, they both shuffled uncomfortably, but left unspoken the knowledge of what occurred there with the woman they both loved. 

"They just asked me to speak at a symposium on space-borne pathogens. There are going to be physicians from all over the quadrant. This is a rare opportunity for me and for the rest of the crew."

"How's that?"

"I'd be representing Voyager, putting our best foot forward, so to speak, and, needless to say hexapods are more likely to know a best foot when they see one."

Chakotay didn't laugh. He could act professionally, but he couldn't laugh. "I'm sorry, Doctor. It's just not practical." 

The Doctor, sensing the living human's discomfort, bristled. "I seem to recall Lieutenant Torres participating in Boray at a conference on transwarp theory a few months back."

"That was different."

"How?" 

"We were there. The Ovion system is two weeks behind us. I can't ask the captain to turn the ship around." 

"I could take a shuttle."

"You could also write a paper and submit it on subspace."

"That's hardly an effective means of making a presentation."

Chakotay, who was doing his best to remain unbiased, tried to appeal to the Doctor's logistical subroutines. "Say you do take a shuttle. Would you expect us to sit here and wait for you to get back?"

"There must be some fascinating anomaly nearby for the crew to explore." 

Chakotay felt his temper begin to fray, but was saved from answering by the beep of the comm. system.

"Janeway to Chakotay." 

He almost knocked the badge from his chest in his hurry to answer. "Go ahead."

"We just received a distress call on a Hirogen frequency."

Legitimately surprised, Chakotay almost forgot to think of the Doctor and his request. "We haven't heard from them in a while."

"I've altered course. I'd like you on the bridge." 

"I'm on my way." He didn't run, but it was definitely with a lengthened stride that Chakotay escaped sickbay and the Doctor's shout after him.

"Perhaps the Hirogen will keep you occupied long enough for me to attend the symposium."

His back to the Doctor, Chakotay rolled his eyes, feeling his blood pressure rise again. Didn't the Doctor think that if they were going to a distress call, they might need a physician onboard? It also didn't negate his previous argument that the Ovions were two weeks (at least) behind them. "My decision stands."

"Is this really about the timing, or is it because of Seven?"

The door to the hallway opened, but Chakotay stopped at the Doctor's words. Did the EMH really think he would be so petty? "She has nothing to do with this."

"So, the fact that I love her and I'm better for her has nothing to do with your denial of my request? I know she would have told you about our date."

Chakotay didn't bother pointing out that it hadn't been a date. "In case you forgot, it's Seven's choice who she wants to spend time with. No matter what, I respect that."

"I know you're not together anymore." He knew it was a low blow and baiting, but it slipped from the Doctor's lips in his frustration.

"And I know she's not with you."

"It was always just a matter of time before your fling ended. She needs to be with someone who can really understand her."

"If you really believe that's you, then why do you need to lash out at me?"

"Do you really think you can make her happy, that she can make you happy? Do you have the patience to teach her human customs? What will happen when you want children?"

"And what would happen when she grows old and you're just the same pre-programmed hologram you were when you were first activated?"

Fuming, but with no recourse left to him, the Doctor could only watch the Commander leave.

In the hallway, Chakotay had to pause and take a few deep breaths. _Fling?_ So incensed, the EMH's comment about children completely escaped him.

It wasn't true that he and Seven were officially split up, but since her small confession, an unspoken separation had taken place. He'd contemplated asking her out to dinner every day since, but restrained himself. She needed time and space to understand her feelings and he wanted to give that to her. More than anything, he wanted her to come to him. Only then would a reconciliation mean she'd truly chosen him.

No matter his noble intentions, the resulting gap between them was still painful.

His only source of comfort was that despite being free, she'd not taken a single step toward dating the Doctor. It gave Chakotay hope, but put him into a feeling of limbo as he awaited her decision.

He gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to think about the Captain's call. The Hirogen. That couldn't mean anything good.


	15. Chapter 15

**The Hunters**

Chakotay had seen many deaths, too many corpses, too much violence. He'd always had to push those memories to the back of his mind and force himself to continue on as though nothing happened. It was what he did for his family, for his crew, his friends, and now for the strange Hirogen shouting in sickbay. He could still clearly see the bodies of the slaughtered Hirogen in his mind's eye, but no one would know anything about what he thought of it, not while they had a responsibility to find out what happened.

The Doctor stifled a flinch as Janeway and the Commander entered sickbay. His attention, however, was quickly drawn back to the resistant patient. "Try to remain calm."

Donik, the aggressive patient, was having none of it. "Get away from me!"

The group watched the panicked Hirogen run into the forcefield around the surgical bay. He was knocked down, but jumped up fairly quickly, unharmed.

Janeway approached the forcefield. "Please, be calm. We're not your enemies."

"You're holograms. This is a simulation."

"I assure you, we're quite real."

Donik threw a tray at the Doctor, which went right through him. He glared, triumphant. "Liar."

There was no choice. Janeway nodded to the EMH. "Doctor, deactivate yourself." 

"I can't treat the patient if I'm offline." Though Chakotay hadn't said anything, the Doctor flashed a disgruntled frown at him, as though the situation was his fault.

Catching the look, but unsure what it meant and hoping the EMH and Commander could work out whatever issue they had at another time, Janeway ignored it. "No one can treat him if he's terrified."

With a sigh, the Doctor obeyed her orders. "Computer, deactivate EMH."

Chakotay finally spoke. "Our doctor's a hologram, but we're not."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You don't have much of a choice. Considering the changes your people made to the programming, I'm sure your holograms could fool anyone."

"It was all for the hunt. The alphas wanted things to be real."

"Sounds like the Hirogen," Chakotay said, glancing at Janway, who managed a grim smile.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to trust us. I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway and this is Commander Chakotay. You're aboard my vessel."

"Janeway." Realization and awe glimmered in his black eyes. "This is Voyager?"

 _It seemed we've met a fan_ , thought Chakotay.

"You're the ones who gave us the technology to simulate our hunts."

Janeway nodded, feeling a twinge of sadness that the technology was clearly what had caused the disaster.

"Where are the rest of my people?"

"I'm sorry," said Chakotay. "You were the only one we found alive."

"This place you were in," said Janeway, "is it some kind of holodeck?" 

"A training facility, where young Hirogen learn the skills of the hunt."

"You're a student?" asked Chakotay. 

Donik shuffled a little uncomfortably. "A technician."

Janeway was satisfied the Hirogen was calm and willing to work with them. She deactivated the forcefield and stepped up to the young (or she assumed he was young), man. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"There were too many of them." He was just strong enough to repress a shudder. It had been chaos, terror. He was not a hunter, much to the disappointment of his family, and as a result, he was not immune to the fear of a fight. 

"Who?"

"The holograms."

Janeway and Chakotay looked at each other. The glance was enough to know they'd shared the same, unspoken and seemingly far-fetched suspicions, suspicions which were now confirmed.

"They were… malfunctioning," Donik continued. "I tried to shut them down but they got control of the system and, and they deactivated the safety protocols."

[Astrometrics]

Seven wasn't a fan of the Hirogen. She didn't even like having them in her lab, let alone looking over her shoulder as she worked. It would take more than a little time for her to forget her previous encounters with the species. She couldn't resist a barb at the leader, who had come aboard to help with finding the holograms who murdered his people. "Perhaps you should've considered the risks before you programmed holograms that could commandeer a vessel."

The Hirogen beta regarded her with his harsh, black eyes, dismissing her chastisement. What did she know about their ways? "Capable prey makes the hunt more challenging."

The scans flashed at her, putting a stop to her ire. "I'm detecting residual engine emissions but no sign of the vessel itself." 

"Well," Janeway eyed the information herself, "I'm sure they're out of sensor range by now."

The Hirogen leader knew better. "No, they're close." He read the information as well. "Elevated plasma readings in grid two nine five. They're creating a scattering field to mask their ship. You can find them by scanning for polarised EM signatures." 

Now aware of what to look for, though she was uncertain why they were bothering to look for a bunch of renegade holograms, Seven punched in the necessary commands. A ship appeared.

"Prepare for the hunt."

Janeway, ignoring Seven's sharp glance at the Beta's declaration, spoke to the Hirogen. "I'd like to join you."

"You did enough damage giving us defective technology to begin with."

"You have a problem," she said, ignoring the remark. "We can help you solve it. We have more experience with holograms than you do." 

"Two hunting vessels are better than one," the leader agreed. He might not like being in allegiance with such soft creatures, but the strength and cunning of the holograms made him wary.

[Bridge]

The bridge crew was on edge, stuck between a rock and a hard place. They didn't trust or like the Hirogen, but they also couldn't let rogue holograms cause mayhem. True that no one knew exactly what the holograms planned to do with their freedom, but that lack of knowledge was what spurred them.

Harry watched his console, feeling the tension around him slowly draw his shoulders into a tight knot. "I've got the holograms' ship on sensors."

Janeway ordered it on screen.

Chakotay frowned over the image. The ship was sporting some burns and dents. "Looks like they've taken some damage."

"The Hirogen are closing on the holograms' vessel." Tom updated. "I think they're a little eager."

"Hail them," said Janeway. "I suggest we keep our distance until we can determine their weapons status."

The Hirogen Alpha appeared on screen, as excited as Janeway had ever seen a Hirogen. His dark eyes practically glittered like obsidian. "Why do you hesitate? It's time for the kill."

Janeway stifled her irritation and forced herself to speak calmly. Beside her, Chakotay's frown deepened. "You know as well as I do that a wounded animal can be dangerous. We need to assess—" 

"We won't be denied our prey by fools." The imaged clicked off, returning to the sight of the hologram's ship.

"That went well," Tom quipped. "I wonder if they also poke sleeping tigers."

Janeway smirked at the helmsman, but was stopped from any retort.

"Captain," Tuvok called. "I'm not detecting any weapons."

"I didn't think their ship was that damaged," said Chakotay, looking over the preliminary scans again.

"No, they're non-existent."

"It's a decoy," Harry realized just a little too late.

"Back us off, Tom," Janeway ordered. It was unnecessary, Voyager already moving away as Tom correctly guessed what sort of cunning decoy the holograms would come up with. "Hirogen vessel, it's not the real—"

Before she could finish her sentence, or the Hirogen could heed any warning, the hologram's ship disappeared and its real nature was revealed. The explosive was about the size of a shuttle and packed a punch. The Hirogen vessel wasn't destroyed, but it was clearly unable to sustain its crew with multiple hull breaches.

"Their life support is failing," Tuvok warned.

"Transport all survivors to Sickbay."

As she gave the order, Chakotay called down to sickbay to forewarn the Doctor of his coming casualties. He glanced up at the helmsman. "Tom, you better go help him."

[Sickbay]

Tom hurried to sickbay. He didn't beat the rush of injured Hirogen and had to move quick to catch up. Luckily, three other Starfleet officers were on hand to help at least get the Hirogen settled.

They hadn't been working five minutes when the Doctor's program flickered.

Tom saw, the two of them pausing in confusion.

It happened again.

"My program is destabilising."

Tom looked around, but didn't see the Doctor's mobile emitter. He looked around frantically as Janeway's voice came over the comm. Her voice was calm, but held an edge to it. Tom sped up his search.

"I think I left it over there," the Doctor said, nodding to the main console, still trying to treat one of the more injured Hirogen. His program flickered again. "Hurry."

"Here." Tom snatched up the emitter and tossed it, but just a second too late. It flew right into the Doctor's hands and fell through, the EMH's program gone. "Shit."

[Astrometrics]

Several hours later and Seven was busy scanning the Hirogen vessel along with trying to get as much intel on the hologram's ship as possible. As a result, she was unaware of the Doctor's kidnapping. Normally, this information would have been communicated quickly and stoically over the comm system, but given the events of the past few weeks, she was treated to something more personal.

"Commander." Seven was surprised to see him so soon after the encounter with the hologram's ship and before she could be expected to have a report compiled. She noted the clench of his jaw. Her heart gave a little extra, nervous beat. They had, after all, been avoiding one another. "What is it?"

"The Doctor."

"What about him?"

"The holograms took him. They downloaded his program before he could be transferred to the mobile emitter." He watched closely, feeling pity as she froze, her concern the type that would manifest in practical actions. She watched him, waiting for more information so she could act appropriately. It tugged at his heart more than he liked to admit. "I didn't want to tell you over the comm."

Seven nodded, appreciating his concern. "Thank you."

"We're going to track them, get him back," he assured her.

She smiled briefly at him. "I know."

Chakotay cleared his throat. There was so much more he wanted to say, but now wasn't the time and he didn't know where to start. "The Captain wants you to help B'Elanna with assessing the situation."

Seven nodded and moved around him to do as requested. However, she hesitated. Obeying an impulse, she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it.

He managed a small smile and squeezed back. It wasn't exactly a reconciliation, but it was a step in the right direction.

[Engineering]

Seven entered and was immediately spotted by Lieutenant Torres, who nodded to a computer console on the side. Seven followed and pulled up the scanning results of the hologram's ship.

B'Elanna moved over once she'd directed a few other engineers in their tasks. "What do we have?"

Seven had only just begun to scratch the surface of the information on the vessel, but she summed it up as best she could. "The holograms are extremely sophisticated."

"Well, anyone who can disguise a bomb as a ship…"

"No." Seven pulled up the data she'd gleaned from the interior of the ship and cross referenced it to the data downloaded from the Hirogen training facility. "This is more than just clever programming."

B'Elanna whistled low as she saw what Seven meant. "These aren't just mindless holographic programs."

"Which might explain why the Doctor was taken."

"If they thought we were treating him like they were..."

"Precisely."

"What else?"

"We also have a general schematic," said Seven, "but to launch an effective rescue mission, we require more information."

"All right. Keep analysing and I'll see what we got from the ship's databanks."

Seven nodded and for a few minutes, they worked in silence, but it was not a comfortable one. Eventually, one of them had to break the tension. It was, naturally, the one with the most volatile temper.

B'Elanna had kept as quiet about her dear friend's semi-breakup as possible, refraining from the holy hell she'd initially wished to unleash on the former drone. She hadn't confronted, not even hinted at the breakup the few times she'd been in Seven's presence. Her restraint was solely due to Chakotay's requests she stay out of it, but now with the source of Chakotay's visible pain so close, B'Elanna's patience ran out.

"Okay, maybe you can continue on like nothing happened, but I can't."

"Lieutenant?" Seven kept her expression and tone stoic and polite, but she knew what B'Elanna meant.

"Chakotay." She was pleased to see Seven shuffle uncomfortably. "How could you do that to him?"

"You do not understand."

"No?"

"Did he tell you what occurred?"

"Yes." He'd also explained he was giving Seven space to figure things out. By his silence and the dejected hunch of his shoulders over the past two weeks, she knew he was more hurt than he let on.

She gave a short nod. "The Doctor…"

"Likes you?" B'Elanna smirked as Seven turned incredulous eyes to her. "What? I'm not blind, Seven. He's liked you for a long time. Besides, it's kind of natural when two people spend so much time together."

"But it is primarily for medical reasons."

"So?"

"Do you believe I should enter a romantic relationship with the Doctor?"

"Well…" B'Elanna wanted to tell her to run back to Chakotay, but realized that was unhelpful if Seven returned the EMH's feelings. That would only cause trouble in the long run. "You really hurt him."

Seven looked away, her heart cringing painfully, not needing to ask which 'him' B'Elanna meant. "I know. I assure you, I'm no more comfortable than he is, but I can't ignore the Doctor's arguments."

"Arguments?" B'Elanna sighed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Fine. We're going to figure this out like adults. Forget what you've been told or think you should do and whatever Borg algorithms or logic you used to get to this point. The question is simple. What do you feel?"

"I love Chakotay." That was an absolute and came immediately to her. "But I… It's difficult to explain."

"You know," said B'Elanna slowly, "it's possible to love two people at once."

Seven shook her head. "It's not the same for the Doctor."

"Meaning?"

"I never wanted a romantic relationship with him."

"Well, then," said B'Elanna with relief and exasperation, "there's your answer! What the hell is the problem?"

"The Doctor…"

"What?"

But Seven was distracted, wondering just how the Doctor managed to get under her skin. The answer was easy. He'd picked at the single biggest hole in her armour: Chakotay's wellbeing. He'd suggested and outright stated that Chakotay didn't fully understand her, that the difficulties posed by her Borg physiology and her psychological trauma would ultimately make them miserable. Since he knew her and her biology so well, he knew exactly what sort of weakness to throw in her face. Even with B'Elanna challenging her to her face, she couldn't shake his words.

"Seven?"

It was one thing to think her insecurities and be immediately reassured by Chakotay, but to have an observer reinforce what she'd often feared was like jamming a wedge into a piece of rotting wood. Even thinking more clearly about it, she couldn't shake the fear that the EMH was right, mostly because it was a long-standing fear she and Chakotay had already hashed out once.

 _Does it matter?_ Chakotay had stuck by her through more than she liked to think about. He'd been more loyal than she thought she deserved.

He'd once told her it was his decision to make and if he was hurt, it was his choice to go through it. With that fell the Doctor's argument.

"Seven?"

"You're right."

"Pardon?"

Donik and the Captain entered then and found the two women, which prevented Seven from answering.

"What can you tell us?" Janeway asked, nodding to the scans.

Donik stepped up a little nervously, but did his best to assess what he saw. Luckily, he was not merely an engineer of holograms. He'd started his career with basic ship schematics. "The holo-emitters are independent subsystem with its own power generator here." 

Seven nodded as he pointed out the area. "If we disable the generator, we disable the holograms." 

"It may not be as easy as it sounds," said B'Elanna, "not with holograms as sophisticated as these. Take a look."

When B'Elanna pulled up the data, Janeway began to read. She grew more concerned the further along she got. Holograms were one thing, but this… "These holograms have the ability to learn and adapt."

Crossing her arms, B'Elanna leveled a frown at Donik. "They're not malfunctioning, are they?"

Donik looked away and couldn't deny it.

"They're doing exactly what the Hirogen want them to do, Captain. They learn because they feel pain and remember. They're learning to fight back."

"And they're getting better at it," said Janeway. The implications were frightening for both sides. 

Donik answered reflexively, not really believing the words himself. "My people need to hunt formidable prey."

"Apparently this prey has become too formidable," said Seven. The disdain in her voice was unmistakeable. Even B'Elanna looked at her askance.

"It makes our hunters better."

"Or more dead."

"Seven!" Janeway's sharp tone put an end to Seven's verbal rebuke, though she continued fuming in silence. B'Elanna looked a little amused.

The truth was that Seven didn't often hold grudges, the Hirogen being a rare exception. She remembered more than the rest of the crew did about the Hirogen occupation of Voyager. After the Doctor's shock to her implants restored her consciousness, she had also begun to remember the simulations. She remembered being killed or assaulted multiple times. She remembered the lingering eyes of one Hirogen in particular, the special demands he would make of her throughout the simulations, the way he would stalk her… She remembered and she hated them all for it. To create holograms who would not only be prey but remember every single moment of it was beyond horrifying.

Janeway, who knew none of that, merely asked who was responsible.

Donik answered with a mix of pride and shame. "I did. Under orders from my Alpha."

B'Elanna was aligned with Seven in this. "And that makes it right?" 

She'd heard enough. Janeway crooked a finger at Donik. He appeared nervous. "Come with me." 

"Where?" 

"We're going to have a chat with the hunters."

Alone again, B'Elanna looked at Seven, a brow raised. "So, you going to tell me what that was about? I mean, I think it's pretty bad, but I didn't expect you to get so huffy about it."

"Nothing," Seven said, returning her attention to the ship schematics.

"Please," B'Elanna scoffed. "Do you think I forgot how you stood up to that Hirogen jerk when they took over Voyager? You almost cut off your nose to spite your face. Now you've got your back up like a cornered Targ."

"I am not a fan of the Hirogen," Seven admitted.

"No kidding." B'Elanna faced her. "I'm not either, but you seem particularly burned about helping them."

Seven sighed, almost rolling her eyes at the Lieutenant's persistence. Too bad lying wasn't one of her skills. "You don't remember their simulations."

"No." It took a moment, but B'Elanna gave a little gasp when she realized what Seven left unspoken. "Oh."

Silence for a short while.

"And Chakotay?"

"I will speak with him as soon as I have the chance."

"Good."

[Engineering]

Donik returned to engineering after a while and assisted Seven and B'Elanna with their assessment of the hologram's ship. Despite Seven's dislike for the Hirogen in general, Donik's passive manner meant they were all able to work quite efficiently together.

After an hour or two, Janeway joined them again.

"The holo-emitters are protected by three layers of ablative armour," said Donik.

"Trying to take them offline one by one would be inefficient," confirmed Seven.

"If we can't shut them down," said Janeway, "maybe we can disrupt the signals they generate." 

"Exactly." B'Elanna nodded to Seven, who pulled up an animation of their plan. "We could reconfigure the deflector dish to emit an anti-photon pulse."

"How long will it take?"

B'Elanna shrugged. "About two hours." 

"Do it."

[Briefing Room]

Chakotay watched like a character in a dream as events unfolded without control as the hologram's ship approached and eventually made contact with Voyager.

He, Tuvok, Janeway, Donik, and B'Elanna sat around the rectangular table, listening with various degrees of wariness as the Doctor described his own kidnapping. Chakotay couldn't help thinking of Stockholm Syndrome as the EMH spoke, but knew the EMH's zealous descriptions were much more complex.

Ultimately, regardless of the EMH's reasons and reasoning, Chakotay trusted the Doctor, but he didn't trust the Doctor's judgement, not after the Lokirrim, and not after the EMH's actions regarding Seven. He had watched in silence as the Doctor appeared on screen and made his case to Janeway, even when the Doctor was returned to Voyager to speak. Chakotay listened in silence, holding his tongue only because the Captain's decision was in line with his own thoughts.

"If we provide them with a few additional emitters and memory storage units," said the Doctor, "they'll have more than they need."

Chakotay thought that would be a bit much, like giving weapons of mass destruction to a terrorist group. He knew all about that thanks to the century history lessons he and Tom gave to Naomi and the Borg children. Luckily, Janeway might not have been a historian, but she knew enough to object to such a proposal.

"We're in this situation because we shared technology with the Hirogen to begin with," said Janeway. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"Captain, these people are on the verge of creating a new life for themselves. They can't do it without our help."

Tuvok, who had naturally joined the group, counselled against such dangerous actions. Indeed, he was already disturbed by the path the situation was taking. "There's no way to be certain what they'll do with the technology if we give it to them."

"I understand your concerns," said the Doctor, not really understanding despite his assurances, "but these holograms are nothing like the Hirogen."

Donik, who knew both sides and liked neither, piped up quickly. "That's not true. They were programmed to be as vicious as any hunter."

"They were also given the ability to adapt. They've changed, moved beyond their programming. If you could see how they've been brutalised, you'd understand that they've only been acting in self-defence."

Again, Chakotay was tempted to speak up, but Janeway beat him to it. "I'm sorry, Doctor but I'm inclined to agree with Mr Donik."

The Doctor's face stiffened, showing the hard stubbornness Janeway, Chakotay, and even Tuvok recognized. It was the look he took on when neither emotion nor logic would appeal to him. "Then you've chosen the wrong side."

Janeway, regardless of having already lost the battle and the war, tried her best. "I haven't chosen any side."

"You're right that it was a mistake to give the Hirogen technology and that mistake has had consequences."

"It—"

"These holograms are one of them. In some ways they're a new species, one that you helped create. You can't turn your back on them."

B'Elanna was of two minds and objectively pointed out that the Doctor was not wrong. "He's got a point."

Tuvok, in pure logical form, thought to split the difference. "Could we restore them to their original parameters?" 

The Doctor waved away the suggestion. "We'd be wiping out their memories, their experiences, everything they are."

"We could extract their violent subroutines," said Chakotay. Then the holograms could live as they liked, and yet he knew it was a ridiculous suggestion. Life only existed because of struggle, because of violence. The holograms wouldn't be what they were or even survive in the harsh universe they'd been born into. The same could be said of humans.

"It's possible," said B'Elanna. That didn't mean it would be in anyone's best interest to do so.

"That would be like de-clawing a cat," said the Doctor. "We'd be taking away any chance they have of defending themselves."

Janeway appreciated both arguments, but settled on the side of natural life. "We'd also be preventing them from doing any more harm."

"You wouldn't even be considering this if they were flesh and blood." 

Janeway bristled. Did he not think she would do everything in her power to ensure the survival of the holograms as well as the Hirogen? Didn't he realize what getting into a firefight with the Hirogen would mean? Holograms could be rebuilt. Living beings could not. "I'm not going to let you turn this into an argument about holographic rights."

The Doctor remained stubborn. "Why not? That's exactly what it is." 

Janeway was saved the trouble of a full out argument by Tom's call over the comm. "Mess hall to Commander Tuvok."

Tuvok tapped his badge. "Go ahead."

"You'd better get down here. We've got a problem."

Tuvok didn't so much as raise a brow. "On my way."

As their security officer stood to go, Janeway and Chakotay shared a look as well. It was time for their meeting to end, the decision made regardless of the Doctor's desire to promote holographic rights over the lives of living people. Besides, the longer they argued, the more chances the Hirogen would get to cause them trouble, just as they knew was likely happening in the mess.

Any serious planning, however, was interrupted a moment later by Ensign Kim's voice. "Bridge to Captain Janeway." 

"Go ahead." _What now?_

"Someone's tapping into a comm relay in the mess hall."

"Shut it down." 

"I can't. I've been locked out."

[Bridge]

The group left the briefing room, Janeway leading the way onto the bridge. Harry spared her a quick nod, busy assessing the depth of their troubles.

"The Hirogen transmitted a signal," Harry informed his commanding officers.

"Scan for Hirogen ships," ordered Janeway.

Chakotay, who had quietly taken his seat and reviewed the incoming data, furrowed his brows. "Two vessels on long range sensors."

[Engineering]

B'Elanna joined Seven, who was assisting with getting everything up and running. A quick glance confirmed what she already knew. Seven was as efficient as ever. All they needed to wait for was the Captain's command.

"Janeway to Engineering," the Captain's voice came over the computer.

"Torres here."

"Is the pulse ready?"

B'Elanna didn't need Seven's nod to answer with confidence. "Yes, ma'am."

They didn't have to wait long. The ships were converging on their location fast. The two women kept abreast of the situation from the monitors Seven had routed to their console. They could practically countdown to the moment.

"Now, B'Elanna." 

B'Elanna hit the command and the pulse hit the hologram's ship, confirmed by the sensors.

"The triaxillating bandwidth is working," Seven confirmed. "But if—"

Voyager shuddered as Seven's sensors blared out a warning.

"They're creating a feedback surge," B'Elanna reported to the bridge. "I don't understand how they could've isolated our frequency so quickly."

Seven had an idea, but they had bigger problems. "The main deflector is overloading." 

"Shut it down."

She'd already been trying to do just that, but it was proving a futile effort. "I can't."

"Keep trying. If we can't block the surge, the core is going to breach."

"I am aware." Still, Seven continued her efforts. It wasn't enough. The deflector dish was overloading and the result were explosions and surges everywhere. Engineering was chaos. An engineer was struck with an electric discharge and to Seven's concern, Lieutenant Torres had moved to a station too close to the warp core. "Get down, Lieutenant!"

"Not until I get this forcefield online." She sighed in relief as the forcefield flashed up, but it wasn't quick enough. A discharge escaped just in time to hit B'Elanna. The force knocked her back and into oblivion. 

Seven waved down an engineer, not paying attention to who it was. Her main concern was Lieutenant Torres. The other injured personnel were already either standing up or being treated by their comrades. "Help me get her to Sickbay." 

The words had barely left her mouth when a transporter beam lit up the chief engineer and she disappeared.

Seven looked around and at the man – Ensign Rolf – who stood, equally dumfounded. "Did you initiate a transport?"

The ensign shook his head.

She'd already known that, but had to ask to satisfy herself. With a wave, she sent the ensign away and reported the situation to Captain Janeway. She then sighed and began to help the engineering staff pick up the pieces of their wounded ship.

About an hour later and Seven was visited by Janeway, Tuvok and Chakotay.

"Report." Janeway glanced around and was glad to note everyone was busy like ants. That they'd left the cosmetic damages as they were spoke to just how bad things were. Cosmetics could wait and would be the last to be repaired.

Seven stifled her desire to greet Chakotay more openly, settling for a quick nod before answering Janeway. "Engineering systems and main power should be operational soon. The deflector is a different matter."

"How long?" Chakotay asked. 

"Four hours, at least. If Lieutenant Torres were here, she might be able to repair it more efficiently."

"That's high praise coming from you," said Janeway, a little surprised. "I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

Seven lifted a shoulder in a partial shrug, conscious of Chakotay's small, proud smile at her. Lieutenant Torres might have a bad temper, but she was an excellent engineer and got things done. It was something Seven admired deeply about the other woman. That, and she'd proved surprisingly sympathetic in hard times. "I'm sorry, Captain. I should have done more – something to prevent her kidnapping."

Janeway shook her head, but it was Tuvok, logical as ever, who answered. "Without knowing what they planned, there was nothing any of us could have done to prevent this."

"Perhaps," she said, not believing the platitude. "If she hadn't reinforced the core we'd all be dead." _If I had done more, she'd still be here._

"I'm glad she did," said Janeway with a sympathetic smile. She wanted to comfort her protégé more, but they had something of greater importance to discuss. "I'd still like to know how this happened." 

Chakotay made a mental note to revisit the conversation with Seven later. "I still don't understand how they managed to counteract the pulse so easily. It should have taken them much longer."

"I believe I can answer that," said Tuvok. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Seven glance down, likely having come to the same conclusion he had. "According to sensor logs, they calibrated their feedback surge to the exact inverse of our pulse frequency."

Janeway crossed her arms, fury growing. "It was either a lucky guess or—"

"The Doctor," said Chakotay. He glanced at Seven, but instead of defending her friend, she was looking down, disturbed by the truth. She had indeed come to the same conclusion.

Tuvok confirmed their fears. "He sent an encrypted transmission from Sickbay, then transported himself to their ship."

[Bridge]

They watched with bated breath as the tail of the Hirogen ship led the way to the holograms. It was a bumpy ride, but Tom kept things as steady as he could.

Tom slowed down. "They're dropping out of warp." 

It was now or never. Janeway nodded. "Fire." 

As predicted, the Hirogen were caught unawares. The shot was direct. They managed to hit the second ship as well before the Hirogen returned fire. By that point their position against the Hirogen was almost assured. Both hunting vessels lost shields and weapons, effectively crippling them.

"The hologram's ship, Tuvok," ordered Janeway. She watched as they scored a hit before the holograms realized Voyager wasn't necessarily there to help them.

"Seven to bridge."

"Yes, Seven?" Janeway nodded for Tuvok to continue fire, a command he didn't really need.

"I'm detecting a mass transport signal. The holograms are transporting the Hirogen to the planet's surface."

"Can you tell how many of them have been transported?" asked Chakotay.

"I cannot be certain, but I would estimate thirty-four." 

"Can we get them back?" asked Janeway.

Tuvok tested it, but there was too much interference. "I can't target them through the gases."

"Can we go in after them?"

Tuvok again shook his head. "Our shields have been damaged. They won't protect us from the radiation."

"Well, first things first. We need to get our people back."

[Delta Flyer]

Chakotay, Tuvok and Tom took no time prepping the shuttle for its hazardous mission.

"Ready, Chief?" Tom looked back as Chakotay took his seat.

"Ready." Chakotay smiled, but it wasn't directed at Tom. As soon as he sat down, a light at his station began to blink. He pressed it, confused. To his surprise, it was a short message from Seven. He didn't have time to speak to her before heading to the Delta Flyer, but she'd clearly been listening over the comm system and done what he could not.

 _Good luck. I love you._

He took it as a sign that their rough patch was coming to an end. The message was short and sweet and one he hoped to read again under less dangerous circumstances.

They were close, close enough that a few minutes was all they needed. They drew up to the hologram's ship.

"Take us in, Tom," said Chakotay. "Status of their shields?"

"Down," said Tuvok. "Initiating transport." 

Tom didn't wait to be dismissed from his post. He stood to greet his wife, kissing her as soon as the last cell was onboard. "If this marriage is going to work, you've got to cut back on the travelling." 

B'Elanna rolled her eyes at him. "The Doctor's on the surface. There's some Hirogen down there, too." 

Chakotay nodded. "Tuvok?" 

"The radiation's making it difficult to get a lock." His fingers, however, continued to move deftly over the controls in his attempt to secure a signal.

"We might have to get closer," said Chakotay.

"I wouldn't advise it," said Tom. "That radiation is going to mess with more than just our transporters."

They didn't have a means of seeing just what was going on down on the planet, but eventually… "I have a lock," said Tuvok. "Five Hirogen life signs and the Doctor."

"Beam them up."

[Chakotay's Quarters]

He waited up for her, not even knowing if she was going to come or regenerate in the cargo bay. Though he knew it was silly, he couldn't help it. She was assisting Donik and B'Elanna with the ship that would be the rogue holograms' new home. The computer was set to alert him when she was on Voyager again. If she was coming to see him, she'd be at his door in a matter of minutes.

The computer announced what he'd been waiting for. Seven was on Voyager. Now he just had to wait to see which course her feet took her on.

There was no chime since Seven still had full access. The doors just slid open to reveal her figure. The sight of Seven silhouetted in the door was enough to make Chakotay pause, but it was a short one and he moved to greet her.

Sighing in relief, Seven almost ran to Chakotay, immediately wrapping her arms around his shoulders and capturing his lips in a searing, almost sloppily passionate kiss.

"What—"

Seven was not in the mood to explain just at that moment. She pushed Chakotay back until he hit the kitchen countertop.

"I missed you," he managed to say in between kisses to every part of her he could reach.

"Words—" a kiss to his lips "—are—" a warm press of lips to his throat "—insufficient to explain—" a return to greedily teasing his tongue with her own "—how much I missed you."

"Does this mean you're here to stay?"

She framed his face with her hands, holding him away from her a little so she could see his eyes, needing him to know she meant her words. "That was the biggest mistake of my life. I'm so sorry, Chakotay. I will not be so foolish again."

He pressed his lips to hers, gentle and sweet this time. "It's okay. Nobody's perfect."

They laughed together, their relief at the reunion a shared moment of joy almost nothing could have broken.

"Please," she said, growing more serious, "don't let me do that again."

But Chakotay shook his head. "I'd rather have you here because you want to be."

"I want to be here." She kissed him, the passion rising again. "I want you."

[Chakotay's Bedroom]

Flopping onto his back, Chakotay wiggled under the covers, pulling Seven's back to lay against his chest when she followed him. They sighed together.

"So," Chakotay kissed her golden hair as she traced invisible patterns over the arm that held her in place. "How was your day?"

Seven gave an exhausted, breathy laugh. "Busy." She glanced away. "I spoke to the Doctor."

"Oh?" He was calm, having clearly won the war, but he still stiffened at the mention of his rival.

She reached up and smoothed his tense jaw. "He was on the Hirogen ship. I told him what I should have said two weeks ago. Our relationship will remain that of friends."

"And us?"

"Is my attendance here an insufficient demonstration?" she teased.

He smiled, but had to admit, "I would like to hear it."

"I love you." She took his hand, weaving their fingers together. "That was never in doubt."

The feel of her other hand moving from his jaw and up to weave her fingers in his hair was pleasant, almost enough for him to forget his irritation with the Doctor. He pressed a kiss to her golden hair. "I love you too."

"You do not need to be jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

"Hmm."

He sighed in defeat. She could read him like a book even when she wasn't looking at him. "Fine. I'm jealous, but I'll try not to let it affect me."

"I had the failsafe removed for you, not for him. I never wanted a romantic relationship with anyone but you."

"Then what did he say to make you doubt yourself?" _What made you doubt me?_

Seven hesitated, not wanting to portray her friend in a bad light. "He suggested our relationship would be detrimental to you and that he was a more appropriate choice for various reasons."

Chakotay swallowed his anger at the EMH. It didn't matter anymore, or that's what he told himself. "The only thing you could do to hurt me, you've already done and made up for it."

"He suggested he is a more logical, a more appropriate choice."

"Oh?"

"But logic seems to have little to do with love."

He laughed. "That's very true. Just ask Romeo and Juliet. Though, I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna's unusual match is an even better example."

"Lieutenant Torres helped me understand."

"She did?" Even after he'd asked her to stay out of it. Oh well. He couldn't be upset with her, not when whatever she'd said had ultimately given Seven clarity.

"Yes." She hesitated, feeling herself grow a little sad. "I'm sorry, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how I feel."

"It's all right. It doesn't matter now." He sighed again, this time signalling his surrender and relinquishment of anger. He couldn't remain upset with the Doctor. It was unfair and illogical. The Doctor had every right to feel as he did, even the right to make a bid for her affections. Chakotay didn't have to like it, but he did have to accept it. Besides, Seven had clearly made her choice and even if she'd not chosen him, the decision was both hers to make and to enforce.

"Would it be any consolation to know it won't happen again?"

"A little." He nuzzled her neck, making her shuffle away as it tickled. "But I can think of something else that would be a better consolation."

Chuckling, Seven shook her head in amusement. "You are incorrigible."

"No, I'm just making up for lost time." His hands began to rove again, more tenderly and languidly this time.

"That may be your best idea to date," she whispered, already losing herself to his skilled touch. Yes, there was no doubt and never would be any doubt as to whose affections she wished to hold and return.

[Astrometrics]

Seven punched in commands while Chakotay sat on the stairs to the upper platform. She was pretending to analyse and catalogue the planets around them, but was really just keeping tabs on the Hirogen as long as she could. No matter the assurances Captain Janeway had received or simply convinced herself of, Seven didn't trust the Hirogen and never would. Chakotay was likewise unsatisfied with the situation.

"It's not as though I like the Hirogen, but…" Chakotay raked a hand through his hair. It was already sticking up messily from the repetition of the nervous habit.

"But what?"

"He didn't just put the Hirogen in danger." Chakotay waved an irate hand. "B'Elanna would likely have been killed. Voyager was caught in a small war and we have no idea what the holograms would have done after they set up a homeworld. Would it have been enough for them or would they have set their sights on someone else's territory just because they believed themselves superior?"

"While I agree with most of your statement," said Seven with a smile, "I think you might be excessive in your assessment of the holograms' plans."

"Am I? People like Iden can't help themselves. Zealots who believe themselves superior are never satisfied with what they have."

Seven shrugged, having little information on the topic. "Perhaps, but I don't think you're angry with Iden."

"No, I'm angry with the Doctor. Before meeting Iden, he was showing signs of taking things too far, ignoring common sense and what's right for the ship. He was pressing for irrational requests and if he didn't get his way, claimed it was due to bigotry. It worries me."

"The Doctor is stubborn, but he can be made to see sense… usually."

"Then the next time he demands something that has to be denied, I'm calling you." He sighed deeply. "She's not going to punish the Doctor, nothing."

Seven thought a moment, her hands pausing on the controls. She then nodded and continued work. "I wouldn't expect her to."

"No?" He contained his irritation to allow her to explain.

Seven glanced at him, smiling just a little. "It would be unfair when I have done much worse than try to free a group of subjugated individuals."

"You at least have the excuse of being the victim of Borg programming. The Doctor—"

"Acted on course with his programming. He was also tricked." Seven lifted her eyes to him again, this time with a little shame. "I've acted recklessly, disobeyed orders, caused deaths. At least the Doctor can claim to have clean hands."

"You never meant to cause deaths."

"Species 8472, the stray trapped outside of fluidic space. I sent it to the Hirogen. I knew what would happen."

Chakotay was silent for a long moment, contemplating what to say. He'd thought about those poor choices she'd made shortly after her liberation from the Collective. It would be a lie to say it didn't bother him a little, but he also couldn't pretend his own hands were clean. It would be hypocritical to judge her when he was just as culpable, maybe even more so, of equally shameful deeds. He had been a captain of a group of rebels, terrorists according to Starfleet. He'd done his best to be as non-violent as possible, but like Seven, he'd committed violence and he'd done it with intent. He thought maybe that was why he'd shaken his head and felt sad during those incidents she alluded to, but he'd never held it against her more than that.

"Do you regret it?"

Seven kept her gaze steady on him. "Yes."

"Would you change it if you could, not just what happened with Species 8472?"

"Yes." _I would die to take back half of what I've done._ This, however, she would never speak aloud.

Chakotay nodded. No matter what she believed, he knew she wouldn't act the same way now, which meant he was right. Borg programming didn't make what she'd done right, but it explained a lot and made it a little less her fault. However, he had to admit the Doctor was little different. He sighed. "I guess I'm bringing my personal feelings into it too much."

"You wouldn't be human if you didn't," said Seven, smiling again. "I think you can be forgiven. Anger seems to be a common side effect of interaction with the Doctor."

Laughing, Chakotay shook his head. "I suppose you're right. I'll just have to keep a calmer head in future interactions."

"I have every faith in you."

Still chuckling a little, Chakotay stood and moved to her side. She turned as he put an arm around her, her own rising to encircle his shoulders. She smiled at him, her rosy lips and blue eyes pretty enough to burn into his mind forever. He swallowed, suddenly caught in a moment, a feeling, he hadn't expected.

Seven grew still, Chakotay's gaze growing more tender and – she didn't know what description to give it. His eyes were on her, but he seemed to be seeing more than just the visage in front of him. The laughter faded from his expression and he appeared almost – was he afraid?

"Well, I—" Chakotay cleared his throat. "I better go."

Perplexed, Seven nodded and watched him head to the door.

Remembering himself, Chakotay paused. He hurried back to kiss Seven goodbye and then returned to the bridge.


	16. Chapter 16

**Shattered**

He wouldn't be late, no matter how many arguments between Chell and Neelix needed to be broken up. Despite his determination, time was ticking. His step quickened.

He knew Seven was still working so he walked right in to the cargo bay. Chakotay pulled up short at the sight in front of him.

Naomi and Icheb sat on the floor of cargo bay two, just beginning to spread out a puzzle.

"What's going on here?" Chakotay moved inside, remembering his deadline.

"Commander," Icheb said, jumping up immediately. He practically stood at attention, to Chakotay's amusement.

"At ease."

"I didn't expect to see you, sir." Indeed, he thought the Commander was due for his customary dinner with Captain Janeway. Icheb glanced uneasily at the puzzle pieces strewn over the floor.

"Don't worry," Chakotay reached the container he was after, "I'm not staying. What are you two up to?"

"I'm tutoring Naomi on genetics."

Chakotay smiled, looking down at the puzzle as he opened the container. "Looks like you found a creative approach." 

Icheb and Naomi watched as the Commander rifled through the bin. While Naomi returned to her puzzle, Icheb spoke, his nervousness seeping through in his words, but not his confident tone. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Seven. I'm supposed to be writing a paper on transwarp instability."

Chakotay didn't bother telling the young man that Seven wouldn't fault him for the change of plans. Instead, he teased Icheb in a way he knew Icheb wouldn't understand. "Don't worry, your secret's safe, as long as you keep mine."

"Sir?" Icheb watched Chakotay remove a bottle from one of the containers. He didn't have much personal experience, but the Collective knowledge told him it was probably alcohol.

"Antarian cider," supplied Chakotay at Icheb's quizzical quirk of the head. "Not the replicated stuff. There are only a couple of bottles left and I don't want Mr Neelix getting his hands on them."

A glance confirmed to Icheb where Chakotay was storing the bottles, but he knew it to be a less effective spot than other locations. "Then you should store them with the salvaged Borg components. Neelix never inventories those containers. He says they give him the creeps."

"Officer-level thinking, Icheb. Would you mind?"

Always eager to please, Icheb dipped his head. "Of course. Enjoy your evening, Commander."

Chakotay smiled widely. "Thanks, Icheb. I plan to."

Icheb nodded and headed over to the bins to do as the Commander requested.

[Janeway's Quarters]

Janeway crouched on the floor, pieces of her replicator around her like the puzzle Naomi and Icheb were trying to assemble. She sighed. It was a lost cause.

The door chimed.

[Astrometrics]

It was after the end of her shift, but Seven wasn't really sure what to do with herself so she continued working. She supposed she could conduct some research, or see if Icheb wanted help with his paper. Maybe she and Naomi could play a game.

She'd initially booked holodeck time, but that was before Chakotay announced he was having dinner with the Captain. That information had come during their breakfast together only that morning. It irked her that he would change their plans at the last minute like that. She breathed deeply and pushed away her irritation. It was useless and irrelevant in the long run.

The holodeck was still booked. She could do anything. And yet nothing really interested her.

Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim were always looking for extra holodeck time. She could give it to them. However, she vaguely remembered hearing they were having a game night in Harry's quarters. A little rummaging in her memory supplied the term _Monopoly_ , though she was uncertain what sort of game emulation of a business model could be.

Waste was not something Seven liked to do, not even with regards to the holodeck. With a sigh, she shut down what she was doing and headed out. She could figure out what she wanted to do when she got there. Maybe she could hike or run some other exercise program.

The corridors were busy with people coming off shift and the night crew taking over. Numerous people conversed off to the side, either to update their colleagues or to just catch up on daily gossip.

Seven, only nodding to those who noticed and acknowledged her passage, made it to the holodeck on time.

[Janeway's Quarters]

She didn't bother to stand, instead calling for the doors to admit her guest.

"Was there a malfunction with the replicator?"

Janeway glared up at her guest. "Not a single word, Tuvok."

[Holodeck]

"You're late."

"What are you doing here?"

"How does a picnic in the Alps sound?"

Seven looked around, at a loss for words.

Chakotay smiled and gestured to the checkered blanket at his feet. "Join me?"

"I thought you were having dinner with the Captain," said Seven, moving forward and settling herself on the blanket. It was pleasant, cushioned into a comfortable softness by the thick grass and flowers around them. The sky was a light blue and dotted with fluffy clouds. Around them were mountains spotted with exposed rock and covered up to the white snows of their peaks with grasses, flowers, and other alpine plants.

"I may have lied just a little in order to surprise you." He handed her a plate and began ladling out chicken, vegetables, and salad.

"It worked. I was almost angry."

He chuckled, but his eyes were assessing, trying to determine if she really was mad. Satisfied with her pleased smile, he relaxed. "The Captain did schedule a dinner for tonight, but when I – I asked to postpone it."

"For me?"

Chakotay nodded, charmed by her honest incredulousness. "Of course." His smiled widened as she leaned forward quickly to kiss him.

"Thank you." She looked around. "I don't understand."

Busy sprinkling parmesan on the salad, Chakotay answered absentmindedly. "Understand what?"

"Why did you go through all this trouble?"

"Later," he promised. He handed her a glass of cider.

"Chakotay, you know—"

"It's real, not synthehol," he assured her. They'd discovered by happy accident during a random date night that real alcohol did not cause her to become inebriated nearly as quickly as synthehol. It was a mystery even the Doctor had been unable to explain since the two were chemically identical and thus should have had the same effect. Chakotay had shrugged and pointed out that home-grown food tasted better so why not alcohol too?

"Where did you find it?" Real food and alcohol was prized, which was why the crew took such good care of their aeroponics and hydroponics bays.

"I had it stored away. Don't ask me where. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"It wouldn't be in the storage containers in cargo bay two, would it?"

Chakotay almost choked.

"I was cataloguing the supplies and found it," she explained, smiling.

"I'd be mad, but clearly I need to find a better hiding spot, which is my own fault." He took his glass and raised it up, Seven following suite. "To us."

Seven nodded, raising the glass to her lips, but before she could, Voyager gave a violent shudder.

"Computer, pause program," Chakotay said, the two of them immediately standing and heading for the doors. They made it to the corridor where Seven stopped at the first computer display.

"It's a gravimetric surge. I'll try to localize it."

"Damage?"

"It's overloading our inertial dampers and destabilising the warp core."

"I'll get down to engineering, lend a hand."

Seven nodded, not taking her eyes from the display as she worked as best she could from the limited location.

Chakotay ran to engineering, not aware of the various updates and initial analysis Seven gave to Harry Kim, who took a late shift in order to captain the ship. When Janeway made it back to the bridge, Seven updated her as well, but Chakotay didn't know that either.

B'Elanna ordered everyone out just as Chakotay entered. He headed right for the warp core, either ignoring or not hearing her shout of caution and began putting in commands. They worked in tandem a moment, trying to keep the ship from falling apart despite the personal danger.

She would have warned him away, but there was no time and the energy from the special anomaly hit Voyager unexpectedly.

The only one still close to the warp core, the energy discharge sought out Chakotay like a bolt of lightening found the tallest point in a thunderstorm. He was struck and fell to the floor.

B'Elanna ran to him, gasping as she watched his skin glow and half his face turn more wrinkled than an apple left out for six weeks.

He wasn't fully gone, B'Elanna's voice breaking through his daze. She sounded calm, which he knew masked panic. Her words slurred together in his mind as he drifted away.

[Sickbay]

Chakotay woke to the bright lights of sickbay. He groaned. The light stabbed at him, leaving his head throbbing.

"Welcome back. Lie still."

Stifling another groan at the Doctor's brisk tone, Chakotay sat up. "What happened?"

"You were transported here. Your body was in a state of temporal flux."

Chakotay still felt groggy, too much so to fully appreciate the Doctor's words upon their first utterance. Seven would have rolled her eyes at him. "Temporal flux?"

The Doctor huffed and answered in a swift, irritable tone. "You had the liver of an eighty-year old man, and the kidneys of a twelve-year old boy. Fortunately, I was able to create a chronoton-infused serum that brought you back into temporal alignment."

Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, Chakotay barely followed the EMH's words. "What?"

The Doctor began shuffling tools and samples around on one of the trays, paying no attention to the Commander's confusion. "Anywhere else, that antidote would've earned me a prestigious award. Of course, on Voyager, it's just another day in the life of an under appreciated EMH."

"What about the rest of the crew? No other casualties?" Chakotay asked, baffled at how the Doctor could just rattle such a speech off and read his PADD seemingly without concern for anyone else.

"Not that I'm aware of. I've tried calling the bridge, but no one answered. Were we attacked?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so. We ran into some sort of anomaly." Seven had told him, but his head hurt too much for him to remember her exact wording right away… "A gravi – a gravol – gravimetric surge. Seven said it was a gravimetric surge."

"Seven?" The Doctor seemed momentarily perplexed, which confused Chakotay further, but the EMH quickly moved back to pompous indignation. "Well, naturally, no one thought to inform me."

"Nope." Chakotay stood, which gained the Doctor's attention.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Leaving, and you're going with me." 

"I am?" 

"Yes." Chakotay crooked his head as he looked at the Doctor. Something was off about the EMH. His answer was not sarcastic or snarky. He wasn't being deliberately difficult, just legitimately confused by Chakotay's demand. "There may be other injured crewmen."

"In case you've forgotten, I'm a prisoner of these walls." 

"Where's your mobile emitter?" Chakotay asked, already suspicious of what the answer would be.

"My what?" There was no guile, no sarcasm, no lies. It settled Chakotay's mind. Something beyond unusual was happening. He had to check out the rest of the ship and figure out just what was going on.

"What do you think about Seven of Nine?"

The Doctor scowled, but not in the way of a jealous rival. "What? Commander, perhaps I better examine you more thoroughly."

"No, I have to go. I'll be back."

He took a medkit with him and headed for the turbolift. He heard the Doctor asking about the mobile emitter, but didn't have time to explain.

He entered the small lift and hesitated, wanting to check on Seven more than anything, but he didn't know if she'd returned to astrometrics, the bridge, or engineering. It was against policy, but that was the first instinct he chose to follow. "Computer, locate Seven of Nine."

"Unable to comply."

His heart beat furiously against his ribs. What had happened to her? "Explain."

"Command not recognized."

That made little sense to him, but he rationalized that it could be a simple glitch. "Locate crewman identified as Seven of Nine."

"Unable to comply."

He huffed. "Explain."

"There is no person identified as Seven of Nine on Voyager."

He still hoped for a glitch, but it was a vain hope and he knew it. There were only a few reasons he could think of for Seven to not be on Voyager anymore: kidnapping, temporal flux, alternate or parallel universe, or some other random anomaly. Given the Doctor's confusion about the mobile emitter and Seven, he was already leaning to one answer.

Clearly, he'd have to return to his post and figure things out from there. "Bridge."

Things were pretty normal until he felt a distortion ripple through the turbolift. It was like being jolted very suddenly and very shortly by electricity. The medkit disappeared as well, but the turbolift continued.

The bridge was busier than anticipated. Since he glanced to the left first and it had been Harry who contacted him about the anomaly first, it was the ensign he addressed. "Harry, what's going on?"

Harry looked at him blankly, utterly confused. He could see the pips on the officer's neck, but didn't recognize him. "Sir? I'm afraid I don't know you." 

Captain Janeway stood, drawing Chakotay's attention. He held back a gasp as he could no longer deny the truth. She looked younger, her hair long and held in the tight bun that was custom for her years ago. Her stance as she looked him over was one he recognized; confidence mixed with determination and a vulnerability she wouldn't admit even to herself.

"Take him into custody" said Janeway immediately. Security officers took out their phasers to do her bidding without question. She eyed him frankly, hands on her hips. "How did you get aboard this ship?"

He almost smiled at her reaction to shoot first. It was so typically her. "Kathryn, I know this may be hard to believe but I think I've somehow been thrown seven years into Voyager's past."

"Oh, I didn't know we were on a first-name basis. Who are you?"

"In a very short time I'm going to be Commander Chakotay, your second in command."

Her brows rose. She recognized the name, having reviewed Starfleet's reports on the Valjean. "Really? Let's try another theory. You learned Voyager had been assigned to capture you, and you managed to get on board to sabotage her."

"Check your sensors," he said. "See if they're showing any strange temporal readings." And yet he knew she was too stubborn and distrusting to either take his word for it or trust the facts supporting him. 

Harry, ever eager and naturally the type to seek out information, checked sensors before Chakotay finished speaking. "Captain, the environmental controls are fluctuating."

Captain Janeway wasn't taking any chances and she wasn't about to put her mission at risk. No matter what, this man was going to see the inside of a holding cell. "Take him to the brig."

Resigned to his fate, Chakotay didn't fight or put up an argument as two security officers guided him back to the turbolift and back down towards the brig. Despite her hard shell, he knew Janeway was not unpersuadable. She could be meant to see reason.

Not even halfway there, the same thing happened as when he was headed to the bridge. This time instead of a medkit disappearing, it was the guards.

"Halt turbolift," Chakotay ordered, hardly believing his luck. "Astrometrics – no, belay that. Engineering." As much as he wanted to see if Seven was at her usual post, he hoped if he could return to the scene where this all started, he could figure out what caused the splits in time and maybe fix it.

[Engineering]

Chakotay was prepared to see almost anything, but his mind had either failed or refused to consider one potential scene. He stepped inside and was immediately shocked into paralysis.

"Seska!" 

A sharp knock from behind left him with the sensation of falling into darkness.

Pain. It was the only thing that registered at first. Time, existence, everything swirled around without a purchase.

Seska's face, her true Cardassian visage, looked in front of him and he jerked back.

"Hush."

"Five years ago," he mumbled, his head still woozy and his mind just catching up to his eyes. He would have moved away from Seska more, but strong hands grabbed him at her command and held him still.

The pain in his head lessened and he felt his skin pulling tight, being healed by the dermal regenerator she held. When she moved back, he felt better. A headache remained, the only evidence of how hard he'd been struck.

"You didn't really think I'd hurt you, did you?" Her tone, just as he always remembered it, was smug, cocky.

Her eyes were dark and calculatingly cruel as they regarded him. He gazed into those eyes, remembering the heartache and betrayal she'd made him feel. He'd never hated anyone more in his life. She was, in that moment as in the past, the embodiment of absolutely everything he despised from the Alpha Quadrant. "I wouldn't put anything past you."

"Then you have an idea of what I'll do to find what I want."

He sighed. "And what is it you want, Seska?" With the pain in his head, he couldn't remember her exact motives at this point, nor could he guess how the time shifts would affect her.

"I want to know how many more of your people are back on board."

"Go to hell."

She slapped him. Hard.

His ears ringing, Chakotay nonetheless had a moment of clarity. "All right, I'll tell you," he said, still shaking his head to clear it a bit. "I've got a dozen officers with me. We've already locked you out of every key system. In less than an hour, we'll be in control again." 

"In less than a minute you're going to be dead if you don't give me access to those systems."

"So much for the sweet façade." She raised her hand again, but he quickly nodded to the side. "I'll need to use that console."

Her dark eyes glittered. "Just don't do anything you'll regret."

One of the Kazon, whose name Chakotay had forgotten over the years, pushed Chakotay toward the warp core.

Thanking his years of boxing, Chakotay in turn punched the other man. Before his enemies could regroup, he grabbed the Kazon's weapon and fired. He hit as many Kazon as he could – Seska was the first and fastest to dive for cover – and hit the warp core controls for good measure.

The computer gave out a warning and Seska shouted at her men, but as the coolant system began to fail, Chakotay made his way upstairs.

He threw the Kazon weapon ahead of him onto the upper deck, surprised when it disappeared. This was his chance. He climbed up after it and looked down.

One of the Kazon males made to come after Chakotay, but Seska was too clever. She pulled him back, looking up at where Chakotay and the weapon had disappeared. "Scan the perimeter and report any anomalous readings. There's something wrong here."

Safe for the moment, Chakotay thought about what to do. Again, he wanted to find Seven, but he didn't know what he would find if he managed it. Below him, the Kazon scuttled all over engineering.

"Computer, locate Seven of Nine."

"Unable to comply."

"All right." He knew which course to take then.

[Sickbay]

Eager to avoid confrontation through corridors that might be full of anything from Hirogen to Kazons, Chakotay used the Jefferies tubes.

The hatch ahead was labelled for sickbay. He pushed it open and a wavering voice greeted him.

"Whoever you are, I suggest you surrender. I'm armed." The Doctor held up a hypospray.

"It's only me, Doc." He shuffled out of the tube, grateful for the haven.

"Commander," the EMH reached out and helped Chakotay out, "please tell me what's going on." 

"If you tell me the stardate."

"49624."

"I should have guessed. No wonder you didn't know about the mobile emitter. You don't get it for another year."

"I don't understand." 

"The ship seems to have been fractured. Different areas exist in different time periods."

"But—"

"Doctor, what did you do to me when I was beamed here?"

"Just the chronoton treatment. It's quite impressive to begin with. I don't know what else—"

"So far I'm the only one who can cross from one zone into another. That serum you gave me… it must've made me immune. Normal technology won't pass through the barriers."

The EMH nodded. "If everything is in a state of quantum flux, nothing should pass from one time to another since it doesn't exist in the same place in multiple times."

"I'm going to need help figuring out a way to bring the ship into alignment." He thought a moment. He needed help, especially with engineering under Seska's control. That meant he'd need to bring hyposprays to the people he intended to use. "Can you replicate a chronoton-infused hypospray casing using the same principles you used to make the serum?"

"I think so. Why?"

"I have to take some of it with me if I'm going to get the allies I need." When the Doctor nodded, Chakotay went to the computer and tried yet again to find Seven. The computer could tell him nothing. It didn't even want to tell him where the rest of the crew was.

[Bridge]

Chakotay entered, the hypospray in his hand.

Harry drew his phaser, but Harry wasn't the one Chakotay needed. "Captain." 

Janeway stood to face the returned intruder. Her stance had not softened in his absence. If anything, she'd grown warier and for good reason. "Where are my officers?"

Despite knowing she wouldn't believe him, Chakotay decided honesty was the best choice. "The turbolift passed through a temporal barrier. They couldn't get through. If you're willing to hear me out, I can explain. At least partly."

"You mean about your being from the future?" She all but scoffed in his face.

"Your first Starfleet posting was on the Al-Batani, where you once knocked out power to six decks by misaligning the positronic relays." A few people smirked at that information, but he ignored them.

"Nice try," she crossed her arms, "but you could have read that in a Maquis intelligence file." She hated to admit that he wouldn't have had to be so covert as to that. Anyone could have read that on social media, the incident having made its rounds through certain circles hours after occurring.

Fine. He'd have to get personal. "What about Molly, your Irish Setter? You rescued her from a pound on Taris Seti four. She was the runt of the litter, but you thought she had spunk. You love music, but you never learned to play an instrument, which is something you still regret."

That he couldn't have gotten from any intelligence file. She'd only told a select few about Molly being a runt and regretting her lack of musical knowledge. They were things she'd kept private because of pride. "How do you know these things?" 

"Because you told me, about three years from now." 

She froze, thinking about it. "My ready room."

Naturally, Janeway led the way, Chakotay only partially paying attention to the crewman who followed.

She scanned the serum as he suggested. It contained what he said, but she still didn't trust it. The Maquis, Chakotay's crew in particular, were well known for their cunning. "It's a fascinating story. But as the Ferengi say, a good lie is easier to believe than the truth."

Biting back his frustration, he challenged her. "So, you're saying no one on your crew has encountered any of these temporal barriers?"

That bit she couldn't deny. "My helmsman disappeared when she tried to walk down that corridor, but that doesn't prove she passed through a temporal barrier."

"Then what else could have happened to her? You're stuck on the bridge and you've been picking up anomalous readings indicating temporal shifts. If you inject yourself, I can take you down that corridor and show you everything I've said is true."

Janeway, instead, handed the serum off to the officer, Andrews, at the door. "Have Mister Kim run a full spectral analysis. For all I know, this is poison and Mr Chakotay is trying to assassinate me."

It was clear to him that there was no way she was going to believe him, not even with the evidence wholly in his favour. There was no time – despite the way it was being fractured and played around with – to debate this. For all Chakotay knew, the anomaly causing the fractures would get worse or become irreversible.

Janeway's fatal flaw was always her pride. She believed herself invincible, which was how Chakotay managed to grab her. As she handed off the serum, he took advantage of her distraction, pulling her against him. He held another hypospray to her neck and addressed Andrews. "She's right. It's poison, and I'll use it." 

He backed them all the way out into the corridor with Andrews following. "Let her go."

Chakotay shook his head. "Lower your weapon."

Andrews hesitated, but did as demanded.

Chakotay injected Janeway and drew them back behind the barrier before Andrews could do more than shout an objection.

On the other side, Chakotay and Janeway watched the officer's panicked attempts to gather help for a situation he could do nothing about.

"Andrews!" Janeway called. The man didn't hear and she stood, frozen in shock or disbelief. She didn't even realize Chakotay had loosened his grip on her.

"He can't hear you. We've moved into a different time frame." 

Janeway continued to watch Andrews and the reinforcements he'd called. They began scanning. It was clear they still couldn't see past the barrier.

"You want more proof? It's right down that corridor. You just have to trust me."

"It isn't easy when you're holding me hostage." She said it more out of stubbornness than a belief that he was dangerous; the hypospray had already been injected and his grip was loose enough that she could get away without much effort.

Chakotay removed his arm completely. "Stay or go. it's your choice."

"Now that I'm inoculated, I can go anywhere on the ship I want?" 

"That's right."

"Then I suppose I don't need you anymore."

He'd forgotten how headstrong and frustratingly immovable a force she used to be. He was amazed she'd gotten through the Academy without being thrown out or punched in the face. "Without me, you'll be walking into a future that you know nothing about. Again, it's your choice."

She opened her mouth to argue more, but Chakotay started walking away, giving her no choice but to follow. "Where are we going?"

"The astrometrics lab." He'd put it off long enough. It was time to see if Seven was there and more importantly begin figuring out a way to put the ship back together.

"Voyager doesn't have an astrometrics lab." 

He smiled. _Don't need me, eh?_ "It will."

[Corridor]

Chakotay didn't notice his strides grow more hurried the closer to the lab they got. He did, however, notice his heart speed up as the doors opened, but his hope fell to ash in his stomach when he saw Seven was not there. Instead, a young woman with pale red hair and tiny horns on her forehead greeted them. The sight didn't register with him at first. Though he hadn't consciously thought about it, he'd naturally assumed the ship had been split into past time periods. It never occurred to him that there could be future ones.

"Captain." Next to the red-haired woman, a tall man with Borg implants on his face looked equally surprised.

"I'm sorry," said Janeway. "I don't recognise you, Lieutenant."

"It's me, Naomi Wildman."

The young man gazed at them. "How did you—"

Chakotay stared back, his mind finally accepting what was in front of him. "Are you Icheb?"

"Something tells me you weren't expecting us," said Janeway. She looked around, registering the surprise on everyone's faces.

Icheb gave a slight shake of his head. "No, ma'am." 

"You both died," said Naomi. Her eyes were wide, as though she were seeing her heroes for the first time… or ghosts.

"Seventeen years ago," Icheb confirmed.

Chakotay felt his chest clench, but he refused to ask the how's their statement invited. With any luck, fixing the ship's temporal status would mean the timeline would be different. "The Captain and I haven't risen from the grave. The ship's been fractured into different timeframes." 

"We know," said Naomi. Thirty-seven timeframes to be exact."

"How did you calculate that?" Janeway asked, eying the computers around them. They looked more sophisticated than she expected, meaning they were a few years newer than Voyager. She too wanted to know the details of her death, but knew better. Prime Directive rules blared in her head and in any case, she too hoped things would change once Voyager was set to rights. If she was lucky, even Chakotay would just be a blip on her radar.

Naomi smiled and turned back to the computer. "We've had seventeen years to upgrade the sensors. A chrono-kinetic surge interacted with the warp core."

"The accident that occurred in my timeframe," Chakotay supplied.

Icheb brought up a schematic of Voyager, split up into the various timeframes. "It shattered the space-time continuum aboard the ship."

"The question is, can we repair the damage?"

"If we could get to a section of the ship that still exists in that time period," suggested Janeway, "maybe we could counteract the surge, stop it from happening."

Icheb was already shaking his head. "That section was the focal point of the surge. It seems to have been obliterated." Engineering still existed, but the time period in which the anomaly struck it was gone.

Naomi dipped her head sadly. "It's too bad Seven's not here."

"Seven? What's Seven?" Janeway looked from Naomi to Chakotay. Chakotay looked stricken, perhaps wondering what had happened to this Seven. 

Giving himself a shake, Chakotay forced himself to answer. "Someone who knows more about temporal mechanics than any of us." 

"Unfortunately, she hasn't been found either." Icheb frowned, checking the computers again, but even their enhanced sensors refused to find the former drone.

Chakotay held his breath. "She's not…"

Icheb shook his head. "There's no reason to believe she's dead or completely off Voyager. There are a number of crewmen we can't find. Even our sensors can only do so much." He smiled. "We didn't see you coming." 

"Okay." Chakotay turned to Janeway. "Maybe we can find her in another timeframe."

[Corridor]

Though there was nothing to suggest Seven couldn't be anywhere on Voyager, even back at the holodecks, Chakotay thought it most likely to find Seven in the cargo bay. If she wasn't in astrometrics, that was the next logical place to look.

"So why are we looking for this Seven in the Cargo bay?" Janeway asked, hurrying to keep up. 

"She spent a lot of time there." His pace quickened.

"Working?" With such a strange name, Janeway suspected this Seven person to be an android, possibly one used to organize the manifest.

Chakotay smiled. If she only had an idea of what would befall her precious ship. "No, mostly regenerating."

[Cargo Bay two]

The doors slid open and both officers hesitated.

"Maybe you'd better fill me in." Janeway looked around with horrified amazement. She was too concerned with the numerous Borg wandering nonchalantly around her ship and their technology transforming the cargo hold into a Cube to notice the myriad of emotions crossing Chakotay's face.

"Looks like the time you forged a temporary alliance with the Borg." He tried to shake off his disappointment. He now knew without a shadow of a doubt what he'd find. He steeled himself, straightening his shoulders and presenting a strong front just in time.

"What's happened to this vessel?" Seven, assimilated and fully entrenched in the Borg Collective, strode up to them with her customary frankness, making both Janeway and Chakotay jump. Her skin was as pale as death and her body armour as imposing as a war machine. The sight made both Janeway and Chakotay's stomachs curl, but for different reasons.

"Seven." Her name slipped past his lips before he could stop it. She glanced at him without emotion. He wanted to rip the ocular implant from her, to pull every last bit of machinery from her, to kiss her until she remembered who she really was, but he knew it would all be useless. Instead, he clenched his fists and bit his tongue.

"Correct." Her one human eye was the bright blue he remembered, but it was cold as ice as it regarded him. "What has happened to this vessel?"

Swallowing and trying to remind himself that she'd be different when they righted the timeline, Chakotay made the introduction a little stiffly. "Captain Janeway, meet Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix zero one."

"Hello."

Seven glanced between them. "This vessel is damaged."

Chakotay sighed. "Yes, Voyager has been fractured into various timeframes by an anomaly."

Seven, quick on the uptake and having come to her own conclusions after extensive scans, led the way to a computer console. "The ship has been split into thirty-seven sections, all with different temporal assignments."

"Yes, that's what we've seen," Janeway said. She looked at Chakotay. He tore his gaze from Seven and nodded. "Can you help put things back into sync?"

"Yes." Seven drew up a visual of a Borg ship. "When a Borg cube travels trough a transwarp corridor, the temporal stresses are extreme. To keep the different sections of the Cube in temporal sync, we project a chronoton field throughout the vessel."

"How?" asked Janeway. 

"Each Cube has specially designed conduits. If we install similar conduits throughout this vessel, then generate a sufficiently powerful field, we may be able to force Voyager back into temporal sync."

"Sync with what?" asked Chakotay. He trusted Seven, but he also knew this version of her would be loyal to the Collective. Did she intend to make it so the Borg would succeed in taking over?

Seven, however, was not personally manipulative and even as a drone knew there was only one way to fix things without endangering the ship. Besides, the Borg had learned long ago not to mess with timelines. "The vessel will return to the moment of the original chrono-kinetic surge. Since the surge will last for six or seven seconds, Commander Chakotay will have a short time in which he could try to counteract the warp core reaction."

Chakotay nodded, but he also spotted a problem thanks to his experience with the medkit and Kazon rifle. "Even if we could replicate these conduits, we'd have no way to get them through the temporal barriers." 

After a few seconds of thought, Janeway answered. "Bioneural circuitry. It runs through every section of the ship, almost like a nervous system. If we could inject the gel packs with your serum, we could use them to transmit the chronoton field."

Seven ran some calculations. "The warp core could be recalibrated to generate that field."

"Work on it," said Janeway. "Chakotay and I will see about modifying the serum."

Seven whipped around as the two Starfleet officers moved away. "Your plan is inefficient." 

Chakotay stifled a chuckle, but Janeway was taken aback. "Why?"

"There are only two of you. If I were to assimilate you into a small Borg Collective, you could then assimilate others. The work would proceed more rapidly."

Since the drone made no move to carry out the suggestion of assimilation and Chakotay seemed more amused than afraid, Janeway waved it away. "Sorry, but I like my plan better. We'll be back."

Chakotay hesitated, wishing she was the same person he'd left in his own timeframe. "Bye, Seven."

Seven of Nine blinked and turned away to continue working.

Chakotay heaved a sigh as he joined Janeway. "So?"

"So, what?"

"That went well."

They entered the corridor and Janeway had the distinct impression Chakotay was silently laughing at her. She rubbed a hand over her face. "That was an interesting experience."

"You'll get used to dealing with the Borg." Her eyes widened and Chakotay couldn't help smirking. 

"You mean we're going to be seeing more of them?"

"We'll run into them on a few occasions and Seven—"

"You claim she'll be a member of my crew." Janeway made a face to show just how likely she believed that to be.

Chakotay laughed. "Trust me. She's a very different person once she's no longer brainwashed by the Collective."

"Let's hope so." She sighed deeply. "It doesn't seem like my first command is shaping up the way I expected."

"In the middle of the journey of our life, I found myself astray in a dark wood, where the straight road had been lost."

Janeway looked at him incredulously. "I didn't know Dante's Inferno was on the Maquis reading list."

Chakotay didn't bother telling her he'd read it once in high school without really appreciating it. Did she think anything other than an education on Earth was worthless? "Actually, when things were getting a little difficult, I borrowed your copy. It seems to sum up a lot of what we go through." 

Janeway looked at him, perhaps more surprised by this than their encounter with the Borg. "My fiancé gave me that book as an engagement gift. I've never lent it to anyone." 

Chakotay shook his head, oblivious to how much information that gave away and just what it meant to her. She'd loaned it to him a long time ago, only briefly mentioning that it had been a gift. He'd read it and only because the quote came up in other readings and seemed to apply to many days in the Delta Quadrant had he stewed over it. "Not yet. Anyway, I agree with Dante. If you always see the road ahead of you, it's not worth the trip."

"A soldier and a philosopher." Her steely tone had warmed to something akin to appreciation. "Your intelligence file doesn't do you justice."

He laughed, but didn't notice her assessing gaze on him. It had been so long since he'd been a Maquis that he forgot how monumental every little gesture had been during those early days, how every kindness between Starfleet and Maquis carried substantial weight.

 _If I really did lend him my book…_ Try as she might, she couldn't help but place meaning on that single gesture. For her to give anyone her fiancé's gift, she would have to care a great deal about that person. Chakotay hadn't alluded to any sort of romantic relationship between them, but that didn't mean there wasn't one. Still, he was Maquis, which made it unlikely. She watched him closely. If she could look past the Maquis bit, she could admit he was handsome and intelligent, daring and confident. Yes, she could see a relationship springing up between them under the right circumstances. Still, it was difficult to think of a situation she'd be in where a Maquis captain would be such a close ally.

"You know," said Chakotay as they neared sickbay, "Seven was right."

"What? You want her to assimilate us?"

Smirking again, he shook his head. "I was thinking it should be the other way around." He held up the hypospray he'd injected Janeway with. "Helping hands make work go swifter."

"I don't think giving the Borg access to all of Voyager is a great idea."

"Again, you seem to be missing my point."

[Sickbay]

"Ah, I'm glad you're back." The EMH handed each of them an ammunition belt and hypospray without waiting for a reply. "I've replicated these belts to resist the effects of the temporal barriers, just like the hyposprays."

"Good work, Doctor." Chakotay took his and put it around his waist.

Chakotay moved over to where the Doctor had replicated more doses of the serum and began counting as the Doctor and Janeway talked. If they had enough for the gel packs, they could begin inoculating select crewmembers right away. He'd need backup if he was going to be in engineering with the Kazon. He didn't trust Seska to help him for a second.

Hardly paying attention, Chakotay nonetheless heard Janeway's tone grow sharp.

"Killed? How?"

Chakotay looked over, warning bells blaring in his head.

The Doctor was confused and answered without thinking. "In the incident that stranded us here in the Delta—"

"Doctor!" Chakotay interrupted. "The Temporal Prime Directive, remember?" 

"Of course. I'm sorry." He ducked his head and returned to his office.

Janeway looked long and hard at Chakotay. "The Delta Quadrant? Is that what he was about to say?"

"Ready?" He didn't look at her.

"Fine." Both of them could seek out their own goals. "I'll take the upper decks, you take the lower."

"I don't think splitting up's a good idea." Not without knowing just what was where. Even he couldn't say what dangers they might face, not if future timeframes awaited them. She could fall victim to anything, as could he. Besides, he didn't fully trust her judgement just then.

"We'll get the job done faster."

He sighed. "As your First Officer, it's my duty to protect you. I know a lot more about what's out there than you do, and we have no way of communicating if something goes wrong. It may take a little longer, but we should go together." He also didn't trust her not to do something stupid now she knew about the Delta Quadrant.

She scowled, but gestured for him to lead the way. "After you, Commander."

In the corridor not far from sickbay, they opened a panel to reveal two gel packs. Janeway injected them with the serum and they replaced the panel.

"Can I ask you something?" Janeway asked. Chakotay cringed internally, but didn't object. "I started out with a crew of a hundred and fifty-three. I already know I lost my doctor. How many others?"

"We'll suffer casualties like any other starship." He started walking, hoping she would drop the issue.

"That's not much of an answer."

"I don't think it's wise to give you too many answers, but you should know that you gain new crewmen as well as losing some."

"Like you. How do you get to be my First Officer?" 

"Our crews will be forced to work together after we get stranded."

"In the Delta Quadrant." She didn't glare, but her captain's stoicism was authoritative as well as disguising a deep fear. "How does that happen?"

Before he could answer, a giant virus rounded the corner and pursued them.

Chakotay didn't hesitate. "Run!"

Luckily, they didn't have to run far. A barrier flashed and they stopped, looking back to see the virus disappear.

"What the hell was that?" 

Chakotay resisted a shudder. "A macrovirus. They infected the ship a few years ago."

"Sounds like it's going to be one disaster after another on this ship."

He was inclined to agree, but felt she needed some philosophy to ensure she continued helping him. "You once told me that Starfleet captains don't choose their missions, the missions choose them. You're going to have the opportunity to study things no human has ever seen before."

"Including some very large germs." She sighed. _And I thought Kirk was making half the shit up._

They made it through the holodeck with only a minor inconvenience. Tom Paris' _Captain Proton_ characters required a little buttering up, but persuadable. The only danger there was the massive amount of eye rolling he and Janeway did while listening to the grandiose speeches.

Even a brush with the Maquis crew in the transporter rooms went relatively smoothly. The only thing that gave Chakotay any concern was B'Elanna's temper. True to form, the half Klingon accused him of collaboration and pointed an accusing finger at Janeway for stranding them in the Delta Quadrant.

He eyed Janeway as they headed to the mess hall. She'd been quiet after B'Elanna's angry outburst. He knew the thing that was bothering her was not the Maquis but the information that it was Janeway herself who caused them to be stranded.

"You're questioning yourself," Chakotay said.

She didn't bother denying it. He seemed to know her too well for that. "More accurately, something I haven't done yet."

"You can't."

"Why not? What possible good can come of me stranding my ship here?"

Chakotay had no ready answer and cursed to himself when they entered the mess. It really wasn't a good timeframe to enter when the Captain was already wavering. It was the aftermath of an energy surge that split Voyager and caused more than a few deaths. He couldn't look at the scene without feeling a little sick himself. Filling Voyager's mess were numerous crewmembers with open wounds, all moaning in pain or weeping at the loss of a friend.

Tom, who was dirty and working hard despite clearly being at the end of his rope, was issuing orders. He noticed Chakotay and Janeway. "How did you get in here?"

"There isn't time to explain." Chakotay moved to the panel he knew held the gel pack. He kept his eyes off the suffering people around him, the only way he could go about his task without jumping to help. They needed to fix Voyager.

A crewmember near him groaned in pain.

Chakotay gritted his teeth and tuned it out. If they fixed Voyager, this incident would solve itself.

Janeway, not having the knowledge of how the situation would work out, was unable to keep her attention away from the suffering people around her. "What happened to them?" 

Tom answered as he pressed a hypospray to an officer's neck. "Radiation poisoning. The EPS relays overloaded when we ran into the anomaly. We need the Doctor and medical supplies, or we're going to have a lot more casualties." 

Chakotay found the panel and opened it up. The gel pack was injected and he stood, his heart sinking as he saw where Janeway was.

"Tuvok?" She crouched at her friend's bedside. He was injured, worse than she'd ever seen him. He held out his hand and she took it, her eyes burning with tears.

"I am pleased you're here. I didn't think I would see you again. I want you to know it has been an honour to serve with you, and to be your friend."

Janeway called Tom over, but it was too late.

"Live long and prosper." Tuvok's farewell was a whisper as Janeway's tears dried into a steely, cold determination. She'd not let this happen, not again.

Chakotay hesitated, but they needed to keep working. "We need to go."

Janeway shook Chakotay's hand from her shoulder and stood. "Yes, we do."

[Turbolift]

"Voyager getting stranded. All these deaths, this entire future, it's my fault." Her eyes burned at the realization, the admittance of such a terrible wrong. "I've got to do something to change it." 

"What do you have in mind?" He knew what she was going to say, but he wanted her to say it out loud. Maybe she'd hear it and realize what a bad idea it was. 

"Maybe we can find a way to modify Seven of Nine's plan. Put Voyager into temporal sync with my timeframe. Now that I know what to expect, I could avoid getting trapped in the Delta Quadrant in the first place."

Yep. It was as bad as he expected and she had the determined look in her eye which usually meant she'd go through with whatever plan she'd concocted. He felt the stress of the situation begin to get to him. "Halt turbolift. Seven's plan is dangerous enough. Trying to alter it is too risky."

"It's worth the risk." 

"Listen, Tuvok is alive in my timeframe. If Seven's idea works, Tuvok and the other crewman will be fine."

"They'll still be stuck in the Delta Quadrant. If the temporal anomaly doesn't kill them, something else will. The Borg, macroviruses, all kinds of anomalies... The Delta Quadrant is a death-trap."

"Last time I checked, the Alpha Quadrant wasn't a children's cartoon either. It's not like Romulans, Cardassians, and any number of anomalies aren't always poised to destroy starships. Besides, what about the Temporal Prime Directive?" 

"To hell with it." 

"And what about the lives you'd be ruining by changing things?"

"Just what am I missing? Seems to me that any lives I'd change would be better off." 

"How about people like Tom Paris?" he said angrily, hardly caring now what he blurted out. "Tom's a former convict, who'll be our pilot, medic, and husband to B'Elanna Torres."

"The Maquis woman I met?"

"She's going to be your Chief Engineer. Two crews, Maquis and Starfleet, are going to become one and they'll make as big a mark on the Delta Quadrant as it'll make on them. It's horrible that we're here, but we'll be protecting people like the Ocampans, curing diseases, encouraging peace. We'll all be following a leader who sets a course for Earth, and never stops believing that we'll get there."

"Two crews who could be in the Alpha Quadrant instead of fighting and dying for people and places they have no other connection to besides unfortunate circumstance. It's meaningless."

 _What right does she think she has to change the course of everyone's lives?_ The thought was angry and what made him angrier was the realization that if she refused to listen to him, he'd never meet Seven, that he and others like him would never have the chance to prove themselves. If they didn't go to the Delta Quadrant, what would happen to the people whose lives were positively impacted? What would happen to his crew or hers in the Alpha Quadrant? He was right to say that danger lurked there as well. That alone spurred him to speak.

"Fine! How about people like Icheb or Seven of Nine, a Borg who'll become a member of this crew after you help her recover her humanity, a woman I love."

"You—" Well, there went her theories on a possible relationship with him.

"Seven has a rough start and it's people like you who not only save her from the Borg but save her from herself. If you don't keep things the way they are, she won't be rescued, neither will the others like her whose lives Voyager affects." _The Maquis won't earn forgiveness from Starfleet. I won't be rescued…_

She glared at him for several, long moments. "Are you going to be lecturing me like this for the next seven years?"

He almost laughed in relief. "Don't worry, you'll always get the last word."

"Fine. In that case, let's get back to work."

[Corridor]

Last but not least…

Engineering was not far ahead and it was the encounter Chakotay dreaded the most. Even seeing Seven decked out in full Borg armour had ultimately not been so difficult as seeing the Cardassian spy. Seven at least proved to be an ally and he consoled himself with the knowledge she'd soon be normal. Seska was unable to change from being the manipulative, cunning, and power-hungry psychopath she was. He knew she'd be trouble on every possible level and to add insult to injury, she'd try to use his own emotions against him.

"So, ready to see this Seska?" Janeway watched him closely, unsurprised when he frowned at the question.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Can I ask you something?"

Chakotay gave a short nod, wary of what it might be.

"You said Seska was a member of your crew who turned out to be a Cardassian spy."

He nodded again.

"You don't have to confront her. I could go in myself."

"No." He glanced at her. "That's not a question."

"Why do you want to see her again?"

He drew back, not expecting that in the least. "I don't want to see her again."

Janeway pierced him with eyes like hooks. "What was your relationship with her before you discovered she was a spy?"

Chakotay cleared his throat, unhappy how quickly Janeway was able to make him squirm. "We – ah – had a personal relationship, but we broke it off before that."

"Uh-huh." She wagged a finger at him. "And now you get to have a final confrontation, maybe even get the final say in this time."

"Your point?"

"You need to get over her and get your head in the game. That is, if you really want to get back to your timeframe and back to your Seven of Nine."

"Don't worry." Chakotay sighed. "I don't plan on doing anything stupid."

"No," Janeway's gaze bore into him, reading his angry stance more easily than he would have guessed, "but you just might anyway. You don't strike me as the type to get close to someone easily, Commander. I'd even bet it's slowed down your relationship with Seven more than you realize. I know because I'm like that too, and I know that if I had an ex in this situation, I'd be prone to do something—"

"Stupid?"

She put her hands on her hips, waiting.

"You're right. It did affect me a great deal. I even thought about revenge for a long time, but that's not why I'm here now." _Is it? No, of course not._ "We need to fix Voyager. That's it."

There were a few seconds while Janeway assessed him and then, accepting what she saw or realizing there was nothing more she could do, she nodded and they continued on.

"You know," said Janeway, "Cardassian spy, Borg drone… You sure have interesting tastes in women, Commander."

His laughter made her laugh, which carried them all the way to the doors of engineering.

As was their plan, Chakotay went in alone.

"Chakotay." Seska's smug voice greeted him almost immediately.

"Seska."

"I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to show up here again."

"In case you didn't notice," said Chakotay, trying to ignore the mix of weapons pointed at him by Seska's men, "the ship isn't what it should be."

"Yes, my scans show unusual temporal readings." Her dark eyes focussed on Chakotay like lasers.

"This timeframe's sensors can't piece it together, but we did," said Chakotay. "We're going to inject all the circuitry with a serum and force the ship back into sync. We've already injected the gel packs in the other timeframes. That just leaves the ones here. It's in both our interests to work together."

To everyone's surprise, Seska only thought about it a moment, answering almost flippantly. "I agree. Let him go."

The Kazon, Rulat, practically shouted at her. "You believe him?"

"His story is too preposterous to be a lie." Unlike Janeway, Seska was more willing to believe the evidence in front of her. She knew damn well that he spoke the truth and wouldn't ignore it out of pride. "I'll admit it's an ingenious solution."

Chakotay didn't believe her for a second, but pretended to anyway. "I'm glad you're cooperating." 

"Oh, I believe in cooperation, as long as it benefits me." She followed him to the gel pack, like a cat following a mouse.

"Good."

She smiled, rubbing her fingers together as though she longed to reach out. "You know, it's true what they say." 

"What's that?"

"Men get more distinguished as they get older. A few lines here, a little grey there. It adds character."

"Good thing you have a lot of handsome single Kazon to prey on now." He pulled his head away as she tried to stroke his hair. He fought back bile at the touch. He was at the console. So close…

"Too bad I think your mind has started to go." Her smirk became a scowl in a second. She put more stock in being clever than prideful, but even she had her limits.

"Maybe."

"You know, the fact that you're in uniform and from the future tells me your people are going to take over the ship again. I can't allow that to happen. Step away from the console."

Before he could do much to resist, a Kazon seized Chakotay from behind and dragged him from his work.

"It's an ingenious plan," said Seska, smiling. "It just needs a slight modification."

Chakotay struggled as she began inputting commands into the computer. "What are you doing?"

"Recalibrating your pulse to bring the ship into temporal sync with my time frame."

"That's not possible."

"When will you learn to stop underestimating me?" She continued putting in her commands.

"If you make even the slightest miscalculation you'll destroy the ship and kill everyone. Besides, the initial break didn't happen here. It might be impossible to sync Voyager into your timeframe."

"What other choice do I have? If I can get Voyager into my own timeframe, then I'll be able to ensure that you never retake the ship." Her confident grin turned coy. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You can start fresh with me."

The suggestion was repugnant. "I'd rather not."

Scowling again, she nodded to the Kazon. They raised their weapons. "Your choice. Goodbye, Chakotay."

Above, hidden from view by the same break in time that Chakotay originally escaped through, Janeway, Tom, and Harry watched the attempt at diplomacy. It occurred pretty much as predicted.

Janeway nodded to the two men. "Now."

Jumping down through the invisible barrier, the two men landed in crouches, effectively startling the Kazon. The fight was on.

Chakotay returned to the panel as Icheb and Naomi entered. They ran to a console of their own and caused explosions where the rest of the Kazon warriors stood.

In the chaos of Maquis and Starfleet flooding engineering, Seska slipped out of sight and out of mind. She waited, like a spider, for an opportunity.

Janeway came down the lift, getting a weapon tossed to her from Tom. Distracted by the fighting and trying to ensure her people didn't get caught in the crossfire, Janeway didn't notice Seska's hiding place.

Sneaking up quietly, Seska seized her moment and grabbed Janeway from behind, holding a phaser to the other woman's head. "Stop! Put down your weapons."

"Don't listen to her." The phaser pressed a little more into Janeway's flesh.

Seska, however, knew Chakotay too well. "Oh, your faithful First Officer isn't going to let you die." She looked to him with a smirk. "Are you?"

Of course, he wouldn't. Besides being a loyal officer, Janeway was still his friend. Chakotay lowered his weapon as did the rest of the crew.

"I thought not. Very clever, Chakotay, inoculating them with your serum."

"You're not going to win, Seska."

"I don't see why not. Now it's time to inoculate my people so we can have access to the rest of the ship."

"That's not going to happen, Seska. I won't do that." Even for Janeway, he couldn't do that.

"I'll kill her. Even if you're not sleeping together like the crew thinks, you don't want to be responsible for that, do you?"

"You're not going to shoot her."

"What makes—" Seska didn't have time to ask what made Chakotay so confident because the reason for his calmness walked through the door.

Seven of Nine had been finishing up inoculating the rest of the gel packs and ensuring her calculations were correct for the push back into the correct timeframe. She'd also kept an eye on the progress of Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. It was something Commander Chakotay had asked her to do in case they needed more reinforcements than planned. He was wise.

Understandably surprised right out of her smugness, Seska let go of Janeway as the Borg drone entered and made a beeline for her. Janeway dodged to the side as Seska fired on the drone.

Seven saw the phaser fire, but didn't bother to dodge. It bounced off her armour. She took the Cardassian's weapon without trouble and held her immobile.

"Thanks," said Janeway, looking at Seven in new appreciation and no small amount of wariness. The drone simply stared at her, expressionless.

After the Kazon and Seska were stored safely away, Janeway addressed the motley crew. "The rest of us should return to our sections. After Chakotay initiates the warp pulse, he should find himself back at the moment Voyager encountered the chrono-kinetic surge. He's only going to have a few seconds to reset the deflector polarity. If the time line is restored, the rest of us should have no memory of what's happened here. So, I'd like to thank you now for all your loyalty and hard work. Good luck to each of you."

The group dispersed, looking grim as they placed their futures in the hands of Fate and Commander Chakotay.

Janeway waited behind. When they were alone, she turned to face him. She hesitated.

He said he was in love with Seven of Nine and she believed he must be right about the difference between an assimilated drone and one rescued from the Collective, but still…

 _I loaned him Mark's book._

"Kathryn?" He knew whatever was on her mind must be serious. She had the stiff set to her shoulders that meant she was preparing herself for something potentially unpleasant.

"Mind if I ask you one last question?" 

"Sure. I might not be able to answer it."

"Fair enough."

"What is it?" He braced himself for her to ask about the Delta Quadrant again.

"For two people who started off as enemies, it seems we get to know each other pretty well. So, I've been wondering. Just how close do we get? I know you said you love Seven of Nine," she just barely managed to conceal how improbable she believed that to be, "but Seska suggested…"

This was more difficult to answer and it surprised him more than any other question about the Delta Quadrant she could have asked.

In their early days, when he'd admired her, and there had been no other options, and he'd been desperate for something to help him get over Seska, he'd believed they could be a couple. Thankfully, her gentle rebuffs had outlived his interest and his need for a rebound. His emotions and mind had righted themselves and their friendship remained just that. This was all too much for him to explain and he knew that to tell her too much might change the outcome of it all. So, he settled for something simple.

"Let's just say there are some barriers we never cross and never should."

They shook hands and he watched her walk away, frowning as he thought over those early years and how much had changed. Her question and Seska's insinuation that he and the Captain were a couple reminded him of Janeway's own accusation that he was hung up on Seska, that her influence had affected his relationship with Seven years later. Had it? He didn't think so. She'd been hard to get and he'd fought for her, more than he'd ever fought for anyone. And yet he felt Janeway was somewhat right.

He loved Seven, but there was something he'd been holding out on, an idea he'd toyed with but not committed to.

When he was sure Janeway was back where she needed to be, Chakotay initiated the pulse. A bright light engulfed him and the rest of Voyager.

He was a little disoriented when the light cleared and he found himself in engineering with B'Elanna, but he forced himself to focus. "Reroute main power to the deflector, and set the polarity to the frequency I'm inputting."

B'Elanna frowned at him. "Why?"

"Have you ever heard of a lightning rod? In about three seconds, we're going to need one."

Still confused, B'Elanna did as he told her, watching the readout as sensors detected an energy flare. The burst from the anomaly suddenly reached out toward Voyager. Her breath caught in concern, but the deflector dish caught the energy. It really was like a lightning rod.

The lights in engineering went out, leaving backup power.

"The deflector's burned out," said B'Elanna.

Chakotay checked internal sensors. Everything seemed normal. "But at least we're all in one piece."

"Chakotay?"

"Trust me, a burned deflector is better than the alternative."

Still confused, B'Elanna nodded and began giving orders to conduct repairs.

He stayed a few more minutes to assure Captain Janeway that B'Elanna had not acted without orders, even assured her there was a reason for his actions. However, there was something he had to deal with. So, he left engineering in B'Elanna's capable hands.

"Chakotay to Seven of Nine."

"Seven here."

Unable to help it, he smiled, imagining her at her post in astrometrics, her fingers flying even as she spoke to him.

"Commander?" she asked as the moment dragged and he daydreamed.

"Meet me in the holodeck, please," he said, giving himself a little mental shake.

"Commander, the deflector dish—"

"Will be fine. B'Elanna's working on it."

"But—"

"I'll meet you there in ten minutes. Chakotay out." Chuckling, he nodded a farewell to B'Elanna, who looked at him like he'd lost his mind.

A quick stop was required before he met Seven. It didn't take long, but she still beat him to the holodeck.

She stood outside the holodeck doors, blessedly whole and free of Borg armour. She turned to look at him and he'd never been so glad to see her blue eyes, wide and full of expression he felt he'd somehow overlooked up until then.

"Chakotay, what—" His lips captured hers, silencing her objections. He was even more enthusiastic than she would have anticipated given their short time apart. He drew a small grunt of surprise from her as he pulled her body close and dipped her back. A moan was eventually dragged from her as his tongue parted her lips.

Smiling a slightly smug smile when he righted her, Chakotay pulled Seven into their paused program.

They finished dinner and almost made it to dessert before Seven's questions could no longer be ignored. "Chakotay, what happened? You seem on edge."

He swallowed more cider, feeling the liquid courage course through his veins. "I do actually have something I want to talk to you about."

"Proceed." She watched him closely, concerned by his strange behaviour.

"Have you ever thought about having quarters, real quarters?"

"No. It would be impractical with my alcove." To even contemplate moving all the wiring and large components was exhausting.

"What if you left your alcove where it is and just divided your time between there and normal quarters?"

"I already do that with you. It would not make sense to occupy another room."

"So, why don't you move in with me then?"

Seven froze, not entirely sure if he was joking or not.

"There's plenty of room and you're right that you already spend half your time there." As she sat, immobile, he was suddenly nervous as a teenager telling a girl that he had a crush on her.

Seven, for her part was still in shock, staring at him and not entirely sure if he was serious. Was it moving too fast? Were they ready for that… was she? She could think of nothing to say.

"Or, I have an even better idea. Why don't…" Chakotay sat up straighter, pulling a small object from his pocket. It was a simple but elegant ring. "Seven, will you marry me?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Family Affairs**

Seven was taking a long time to answer. Chakotay waited impatiently, holding out the diamond ring like an offering. He really hoped she would answer soon. Besides making him incredibly anxious, he'd moved to a kneeling position and his knees were beginning to protest.

"Chakotay?" she asked slowly. Her eyes flickered between him and the ring.

"Yes?"

"When I was in astrometrics, I detected temporal fluctuations in the anomaly."

He smiled just a little more. Of course, she did.

"Is your proposal the result of something I should know about?"

"Will you answer my question if I answer yours?"

She nodded, her wary gaze on the ring as though it was a snake waiting to bite.

"Good. The short explanation is that yes, I was only going to ask you to move in with me, but after dealing with an unusual situation, I realized that's not what I want."

"You want to marry me instead?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

He laughed and reached out to take her human hand, holding the ring to her ring finger without actually merging the two. "Yes, you make me happier than I've ever been. We change each other, make each other better and I want that to continue. What about you? Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

"What was that?" His instant relief allowed him to tease.

Seven chuckled. "Yes, Chakotay."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that properly." He leaned in close, nuzzling her cheek and neck the way he knew it tickled. She ducked her head and tried to move away while Chakotay pursued her, pushing the ring onto her finger as they laughed.

"Chakotay!" She fell back into the grass to get away from his tickling attention.

"It's too late!" He followed, holding her in place with a hand to her waist as he alternately kissed and nipped his way back to her lips. "You can't escape me now!"

Still chuckling, Seven reached up to frame his happy face. "I'd say that resistance is futile, but…"

He smiled, kissing her sweetly. "I know."

Neither one of them had anything they wanted to resist in that moment.

[Astrometrics]

Icheb would have had to be blind to miss the ring, or the irrepressible smile on Seven's face.

"Good morning, Icheb."

"Good morning. Do you remember denying the Commander was interested in you?" He only just managed to keep a straight face.

"You may gloat all you want." She logged in and began assessing the night's scans.

"I plan to. Congratulations." They smiled at each other before falling into a companionable silence while they worked.

[Ready Room]

"One more time." Janeway pressed her fingers to her eyes to clear the sleep away. She was sure she'd misheard her First Officer.

"I proposed to Seven. We're engaged." He kept it to short sentences this time, hoping to get through Janeway's morning brain. Despite having to repeat himself, Chakotay's smile refused to dim even a little.

"And she said yes?"

"Not initially so I had B'Elanna reprogram her."

Janeway laughed. "Right. Okay, I got it." She smiled at him, genuinely pleased. "Well, then I guess there's only one thing to say. Congratulations, Chakotay."

"Thank you."

"I think I'm just a little surprised because of…"

"I know." He'd rather not discuss his near split with Seven. "It was more… a misunderstanding."

Her brow arched. "The Doctor wouldn't have had anything to do with it, would he?"

 _Good to know the rumour mill is still alive and well._ "Maybe, but it doesn't matter anymore."

"If you say so." Her smile widened. "Does this mean I get to host a real bridal shower?"

Chakotay put his hands up and began to back away. "I'll leave the fight over that between you and Seven."

"Oh, come on! B'Elanna and Tom practically eloped and who knows when we'll get another chance to party?"

"As long as Tom or Neelix is aboard, there'll be a party."

"Touché."

[Astrometrics]

Neelix all but pushed Tal Celes out of the way as he hurried to see Seven.

"Hey!"

"Sorry! Sorry, Celes!" Neelix hurried inside astrometrics, followed by the petite Bajoran, who was heading that way to take a shift cataloguing various anomalies.

Icheb had already left for his classes and independent studies so it was just Seven, easy prey for Neelix's enthusiasm.

Celes, who took a console off to the side, relaxed as she settled in to work. It was amusing to listen to the Talaxian talk at the former drone. Seven was clearly uncomfortable, but also too polite to tell him to get lost. It made for some interesting, single-sided chatter.

"So, a little birdie told me you've got a surprise."

"If you were told, then it's not much of a surprise."

"A surprise for you."

"Not this morning."

"Last night."

"Yes, I was surprised last night."

"And…"

A sigh. "I accepted him."

Celes glanced behind her in time to see Seven smile despite her attempts to appear aloof. Neelix had a hold of the hand where Chakotay's ring sparkled against her paler skin.

"Of course, you did! Now, we need to discuss wedding plans."

"Wedding plans?" Seven's face fell.

Celes stifled a laugh. Oh, she knew Seven would have to suffer through some of these talks, but it was still funny to see the former drone squirm for once. Clearly, she'd only thought of the marriage itself, not the wedding or the party the crew would expect. Tom and B'Elanna had gotten off easy out of sheer luck. They'd merged their wedding and reception with the celebrations following the race they participated in. Seven wouldn't have that luxury.

"Crewman Celes," Seven said, "you may be excused if you prefer to work elsewhere."

"No," she continued working, for once content with being where she was, "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Seven rolled her eyes. _Perfect._

"Now, were you thinking uniform or civilian? I know it's been habit to stick to Starfleet regulations, but I think a themed wedding would be a lot of fun and really set you two apart."

"Apart from what?"

"Everyone else!"

 _I could assimilate him. That would put an end to this._ The thought made her smile. He would be the most talkative drone in history. "I have not thought about specifics."

"Well, it's never too early to start planning." Neelix took a PADD and held it out to Seven. "I've already started looking at bridal shower traditions and I pulled up some ideas for themes and colours. Of course, this will depend on whether or not the Commander has any personal traditions he wants to see. Do you think he has a preference for Starfleet versus civilian?"

"I don't." She suspected he'd prefer civilian clothes, but didn't want to make the decision without him. Seven had no personal preferences for any of it, but knew humans placed a great deal of importance on weddings. She felt foolish to not have thought about it before.

"Ah well, we have lots of time to ask. What about dates?"

The doors slid open and Captain Janeway entered. She broke into a wide smile upon seeing who was already there. "Seven. Neelix." She glanced to the side. "Celes."

"Captain."

"Ah! Captain!" Neelix pulled up some images on his PADD. "What do you think?"

Smirking a little at Seven, who rolled her eyes, Janeway took the PADD. Her eyebrows rose at the amount of information he'd already researched and some of the more creative suggestions listed. "I'm not sure a booze cruise is a good idea."

"There are lots of options," Neelix said, undeterred.

"What about a destination wedding?" Celes said. The idea came to her and she mentioned it not to be perverse but because she really liked Chakotay and because she'd enjoyed her cousin's wedding, which had been on one of the more floral colonies.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Neelix's eyes lit up. "We can do a beach wedding."

"How about a nice countryside scene?" suggested Janeway.

"Utopia Planitia's gardens would be perfect," said Celes.

"No, no, I've read about this place called Ha-wee—"

"That's Hawaii, Neelix," said Celes.

Janeway shook her head. "Illinois has lovely countryside and historic locations to have a wedding."

"San Francisco!" said Neelix.

Seven wondered how long it would take for them to notice if she simply left.

Finally noticing her shuffle, Neelix focussed on Seven again. "Come on, Seven, there must be a place that's special to you, or we can wait until we come across an M-class planet."

Seven shook her head. She couldn't think of any place for herself, but she had an idea that might make Chakotay happy.

[Holodeck]

Chakotay ducked a swing from his opponent. A quick jab in return forced the hologram to back away.

The doors behind him opened, but he didn't notice, too concerned with not getting clobbered by his opponent.

He finished the round, only just managing to beat the program.

A few bruises, a great deal of sweat, and a pulled muscle in his shoulder were his reward. He felt great.

Exiting the ring, he finally noticed his visitor.

"Seven!" He jumped down and went to press a kiss to her cheek, amused when she wrinkled her nose and visibly stopped herself from recoiling further. Despite her disgust, she held still to allow him the affectionate gesture. He chuckled. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"I am seeking asylum." She frowned pointedly at the bruises rising on his arms and cheek. He'd lowered the safety levels and it showed. "Though I think I came to the wrong place."

"Don't start. You play high-impact sports too."

"I possess reinforced bones and nanoprobes to assist in healing. You do not."

"I know, but it's something I enjoy."

"I don't like seeing you injured."

"The safety protocols are on… mostly. It's just a few bruises and I'm a big boy. I can handle it." Besides, Janeway and the Doctor had lectured him for years to no avail. He'd cut back on the sport if it really bothered Seven, but he suspected her ire was more due to irritation from another source.

Seven huffed, but gave a short nod. She looked around the room, but had little interest in going around the smelly, sweaty gym just then.

"So, asylum from what?" He sat to take off his boxing gear. Seven automatically took hold and helped pull off the padded gloves. "Thanks."

"Wedding plans."

"What?" Chakotay laughed. "We've been engaged a day!"

"You underestimate this crew's fascination with gossip and meddling."

"Let me guess… Neelix?" Chakotay began unwrapping his hands.

"And the Captain." She sighed. "Astrometrics had fifteen visitors today, all there for the express purpose of discussing wedding options and bridal showers."

He glanced up, smirking and yet not unsympathetic. "I'm sure you didn't appreciate that."

She caught his look. "Didn't anyone attend your office today?"

"Nope." He grinned. "I'm the groom. I'm not allowed to have an opinion so cornering me would be pointless."

This information was less helpful to her and even a little disturbing. "But…"

"What is it?"

"I wish to know what you want for a wedding ceremony. If my family had traditions, I don't remember them." She didn't need to add that it all was meaningless to her. Humanity had evolved beyond petty squabbles over religion, but the Borg went further and wiped out any sense of culture.

"And you want to know what mine are?" He was touched and a little surprised. Though she no longer declared all aspects of humanity irrelevant, he'd still anticipated having to talk her into some of the regular wedding frivolity.

"I conducted some research, but it proved unhelpful." She frowned at him, as though the lack of answers was his fault. "There are numerous traditions, but over the generations there was so much cultural appropriation by all groups that it is difficult to predict which social mores are followed by which individuals."

"Hmm." He had few answers to that. She was right, of course.

Even Chakotay's father had a difficult time sifting out which rites and traditions were appropriate for them based on historical accuracy and which had simply been adopted due to ignorance or adoption through pop culture fascination. The dreamcatcher, for instance, had been traced back to Ojibwa ancestors, but his family had little to no Ojibwa blood according to official family tree records. And yet his mother and father enjoyed both making and decorating with the iconic webbed hoops. Intermarriage with other cultures further muddied the waters and led to a sort of evolution so that no one practiced exactly what their ancestors would have. Even if they demonstrated the rituals as originally intended, everyone was such a genetic mix that they couldn't know which traditions to follow.

"My father always had an interest in the South American side of our history" Chakotay finally answered, "and Dorvan V was mostly dense forest, more in keeping with that side of things."

"Though not exactly like Earth's rainforests."

"No, it wasn't. It was milder than the tropics, but still very lush."

"Is that what fascinated you as well?" Given some of the artifacts replicated in their quarters, she didn't think so.

"No, I leaned more towards the North American history."

"I see." She thought a moment. "Did you experience many wedding ceremonies when you were a child?"

He tried to think about what weddings were like on Dorvan V, but he couldn't remember many. He'd been young, uninterested, and later more distracted with trying to get into Starfleet. The few weddings he'd seen or heard about were all so different that he was inclined to believe his people had nothing set in stone either. It was ironic since his people left Earth to protect their cultural traditions. He said as much to Seven.

"Then if I suggested having the wedding in the Arizona desert, would that be acceptable?"

Chakotay stood, smiling, and reached for her. She wrinkled her nose again, but let him pull her in close. He kissed her. "That would be lovely."

"I hoped you would approve."

"Um-hmm." He nuzzled her neck, pressing a warm kiss there.

"Do you know what else would be wonderful?" she asked, her voice growing husky.

"Hmm?" He pressed another kiss to her lips.

"If you took a shower."

[Engineering]

"The Starfleet manual allows for a variance of point three."

Seven smiled at her ward. "That's only a guideline. You can do better."

B'Elanna, actually in a good mood, until she felt her space was being invaded, turned grumpy so quickly upon seeing the former drones that even her head spun. "I don't remember giving you permission to work here."

Icheb, more passive and unused to the Klingon's abrasiveness than Seven, apologized immediately. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

"I'm helping him study warp mechanics." Seven, though surprised by the sudden and unwarranted attack, remained collected.

"You should have notified me. It's a busy day, and I…" her head was spinning, but it wasn't out of irritation. The world around her tilted. Only Seven's quick hands prevented B'Elanna from toppling right over.

"Lieutenant?" Seven was glad to have enhanced strength as she propped B'Elanna up. Gently, she lowered the chief engineer to the floor. Over her shoulder, she was aware of Icheb pulling out a scanner and running it over Lieutenant Torres, who insisted she was fine.

"I'm detecting another life sign."

His concerned tone made Seven instantly alert and look around. "Where?"

"Inside Lieutenant Torres. It could be a parasite."

Somewhat skeptical since she knew B'Elanna hadn't been off the ship recently, Seven took the tricorder from his hands with a roll of her eyes. A glance told her all she needed. Smirking, she tapped her badge. "Seven of Nine to the Doctor."

"Go ahead."

"I'll be accompanying Lieutenant Torres to Sickbay."

"What's wrong?" 

"I believe she's pregnant."

"What?" B'Elanna scowled at her. "No, I'm not."

"All right," said the Doctor. The comm closed. 

"I'm not pregnant."

Icheb hovered, concerned. "It could be a parasite."

Seven only just managed to not roll her eyes again. "I doubt it."

"Or an alien infection."

"I'm not infected and I'm not pregnant." B'Elanna glared at them both.

Seven's lips tilted up at the Klingon's stubbornness. "Looks like the crew will have something new to gossip about."

B'Elanna's hands clenched as she contemplated taking a swing at Seven. "I'm not pregnant."

Seven hauled the other woman to her feet. "Then prepare to have an alien parasite removed."

[Corridor]

"Hey." Chakotay was surprised to see Seven leaving engineering. "I didn't know you had a shift here today."

"I don't. Lieutenant Torres was ill earlier. I returned to assist."

"Ill? Is she all right?"

Seven nodded. "She has returned from sickbay."

"Well, what was wrong? Was there an accident?" _Or Neelix's cooking again?_

"No, just a parasite," she said with a smile. Her lips curved even further as he quirked his head, confused. "Lieutenant Torres was lightheaded because she is pregnant."

"Really?" He lit up at the news. He was as cheered by the thought of another child on Voyager as he was amused by the image springing to mind of Tom and B'Elanna having to chase said offspring around. "Well, then I have someone to talk to."

Seven chuckled as he distractedly pecked her cheek and hurried into engineering. She had the rest of her shift in astrometrics to complete.

 _Maybe this will distract the crew from wedding plans…_

The chief engineer was easy enough to find. "Have you checked the warp core for radiation leaks today?" 

B'Elanna shook her head, confused. "No. Why?"

"You have a certain glow about you." He grinned.

"Okay," she rolled her eyes, "who told you?"

"Seven. Was she not supposed to?"

"Well, I—"

Janeway, practically bouncing into engineering, rushed over. "I just heard. Congratulations."

B'Elanna pushed away her irritation and returned the embrace the excited Captain gave her. "Thanks. Who told you?"

"Seven. I met her in the hallway. She said you were dizzy. Are you all right?"

 _The one time the Borg feed into the gossip mill…_ She realized too late that she'd not told anyone besides Tom that she wanted to keep their new pregnancy quiet. She cursed her lack of foresight. "I'm fine."

"Nothing ever rattled her," said Chakotay with twinkling eyes. "Not even the Cardassians." 

That wasn't entirely true, but she had to admit something, even if it was taken as a joke. "This is scarier."

Janeway smiled at her kindly. "Would you like some time off?"

"To do what?" 

"Adjust. This is a big change."

She didn't roll her eyes, but she wanted to. It was one of the things B'Elanna agreed with her mother about: humans were way too soft when it came to childbirth. They acted like the mother became a delicate flower as soon as she was impregnated. "I'll work during the day, sleep at night, and have the baby when it's time."

"Well, if you need to cut back on your duties, I'm sure Seven would be happy to fill in for you."

 _You'd think I'm about to have my hands cut off..._ "I think I can handle it."

"Well, just know we're all here for you."

B'Elanna nodded, but inside she felt smothered already. She hoped the extreme reactions to her condition were temporary.

[Sickbay]

"Ah, Seven," the Doctor smiled, "right on time."

"Doctor." She perched on the medical bed.

"You were right about Lieutenant Torres." He frowned as he read the scans of Seven's Borg biology. "You have a few things out of alignment and your nanoprobes are depleted by 10%. Have you been regenerating?"

"Not for a week." _Or two._

"Sleeping?"

Seven nodded.

"Well, it might be time for a full regeneration cycle. I understand you're getting more attached to human life, but you can't neglect your Borg components."

She sighed. "Very well. When can you perform the repairs?"

"I'll have to ask you to come back this afternoon. I have a procedure right after this that I can't reschedule."

"Very well."

"So… How are the wedding plans coming along?"

Seven raised a brow.

He put the scanner down and faced her. "I know things have been a bit strained between us, but I'm a reasonable hologram and – and I really do want you to be happy."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Really, I mean it." Relieved and gaining steam with the initial pressure off, he visibly straightened. "You're my friend and I'm here for you."

"Then you may be of use coming up with distractions for the crew."

He laughed. "I take it people are excited about your upcoming nuptials."

"It would appear so. I believed the interest would fade after a few days, but I was incorrect. Astrometrics continues to have a minimum of five unscheduled visitors attending for the sole purpose of discussing wedding traditions."

"Hmm. Well, maybe news of a new baby will take some pressure off."

 _One can only hope._

[Mess]

Chakotay sniffed his lunch, not trusting it.

"Is something wrong?" Seven watched him, bemused.

"It doesn't look like the usual casserole."

"I believe Neelix has modified his recipe in consideration of Lieutenant Torres' condition."

That didn't change much. Chakotay still eyed the noodles, cheese, and vegetables with suspicion. "Oh?"

"He made the noodles out of leola root and refrained from the usual heavy spices."

"How do you know?" He narrowed his eyes at her, his lunch still entirely on his plate and fork.

"I may have been the one to announce her pregnancy to him and suggest a change in culinary habits."

"I thought Icheb told him?"

Seven's smirk was just a little evil. "He was present."

"You know, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were using the situation to your advantage."

Seven's smile grew. "Prove it."

Chakotay laughed. "You know, you never cease to amaze me."

"Have I done anything immoral?"

"No, I don't suppose you have." He continued to chuckle to himself. It occurred to Chakotay that she might know about human nature – at least as it pertained to gossip – more than she let on.

They ate together contentedly for a few more minutes. Chakotay was pleased to find the food really wasn't that bad. Spices and cheese made the leola root hardly noticeable.

"Have you ever thought about children?" Chakotay asked. He didn't really know he was going to ask it until the words were out of his mouth. "I mean, having your own?"

Seven's shocked glance quickly faded to disconcertion. She looked away, unable to meet his cheerful eyes. _I thought he knew._

He continued, oblivious to how her demeanour changed. "I know the Borg children were a handful, but they were fun. Icheb turned out very well. You're a good mother." He looked up then, smiling at her, and froze in concern. "Seven?"

Seven's lunch sat forgotten on the table, her gaze distant.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you knew." She'd taken it for granted that he knew her medical history. After all, it felt like everyone was privy to that information. Granted, that was partly because her biggest medical issues tended to be serious enough to involve the whole ship.

"Knew what?" She turned away from him, renewing his concern. Chakotay reached the short distance and took her hand. "What's wrong?"

"I can't have children. The Borg deem reproductive capabilities irrelevant. In some drones…"

"You—"

"No." Seven couldn't meet his eyes. She pulled her hand, but he tightened his grip so she couldn't retreat from him. Seven really didn't want to spell it out, but he needed to be completely aware of reality. "Some drones have their reproductive organs wholly or partially removed to make room for other technology."

 _Horrors_. That was his only thought. It was simply horrifying to think of and yet he was almost as shocked he'd not imagined it before. What did the Collective need conventional reproduction for? It was common knowledge they removed body parts to fit their drones with useful technology. Limbs, eyes, bones were often replaced with technology, but to wholly gut them like fish…

 _What will happen when you want children?_ He recalled the EMH blurting those words out. If he'd paid more attention, it should have told him as much. _Is this what the Doctor meant?_

She didn't say anything else, just watched him with enough strain through her body to break the bow of a starship. Chakotay didn't seem to realize he'd taken his hand away. His eyes focussed inward as he leaned back, deep in thought.

"Hi you two!" Neelix chose that moment to join them, holding out a tray of appetisers. "What perfect timing. I've been testing out a few recipes and thought you'd like to taste them."

Chakotay looked up blankly. "For what?"

"For your wedding reception." Neelix patted Chakotay's shoulder and set the tray down in front of them, oblivious to Chakotay's distraction. "Now, I have a wide variety and these are just samples to get a feel for what you like. We don't have to go with these exactly."

"I—uh – I have to go." Chakotay stood, not seeing the startled way Neelix looked at him or Seven's alarm. He had just enough control over his faculties to remember to bend for a kiss to her cheek before leaving. "I'll see you later?"

Seven nodded, but he was already gone.

"Well, that was unusual." Neelix turned to Seven, his brows reaching for his high hairline.

Forcing herself to smile, she attempted to distract herself and the Talaxian by indulging him in his original topic of conversation. "What samples do you have?"

As Neelix rattled off a list of foods, Seven wondered if his planning would ultimately be wasted.

[Engineering}

Early the next morning, Chakotay wandered into engineering without really having an intent of doing so. His feet had naturally taken him there, seeking out an old friend, confidant, and somewhat the original source of his discomfort.

He'd gone through his day yesterday without paying any attention to what he was doing. His mind was a fog in which he searched for answers that didn't exist. Seven had chosen to regenerate last night, not even giving him the chance to work through his feelings with the benefit of her presence.

"What's eating you?" B'Elanna noticed Chakotay before he noticed her. This was unusual in itself. The way he started just a little at her question was enough to make her concerned.

"Nothing. I…" He sought his mind for a reason to be there without exposing the private conversation he'd just had. "Baby names."

"What?" _Not more!_ She was gathering quite the list.

"How about Teya? It's the feminine form of Chakotay. What do you think?" He was joking, of course. It cheered him just to see her exasperation.

"I'll add it to the list. Right after Floxia. Neelix suggested that one. It's number thirty-two."

"On second thought," he cringed at the thought of so many suggestions, "you and Tom ought to come up with your own name."

"I knew there was a reason I always liked you." She faced him properly, frowning at his strained look. "But what's eating you?"

"I…" he thought about it and felt a little ashamed, aware that his actions were callous. _I'm better than this._ "Nothing. I was being stupid, but I'm better now."

"O-kaaaay. Want to tell me what about?"

Chakotay contemplated it, but it was both personal and already resolved in his mind. "No, but how about I buy you a coffee?"

She couldn't actually drink coffee, but she was relieved for the offer just the same. "That's the best offer I've had all week."

[Corridor]

Either by coincidence or design, they met Tom in the hallway.

"Morning." Tom glanced at Chakotay, but it was his wife he was there to see.

Chakotay, cognizant of his own relationship problems, thought he'd help his two friends along. "Join us for breakfast?"

Tom's gaze jumped between the two. "Sure."

"You know what?" Chakotay snapped his fingers, pretending to remember something. "I forgot my PADD in astrometrics. Why don't you two go ahead? I'll meet you in the mess hall."

Chakotay waited until rounding the corner to ask the computer where Seven was. He was a little surprised to hear she was still in the mess, but hurried back just the same.

[Mess] 

Seven's brows rose at Chakotay's entrance. There was nothing unusual in him attending the mess to have breakfast, but she wondered where he would choose to sit.

Neelix, sitting next to her and rambling off a variety of information about wedding foodstuffs yet again, looked up with surprised pleasure at his approach.

"Commander! Seven told me you might have gone straight to work, but I suspected this was more important."

Chakotay gave a small smile to Neelix, but kept his attention on Seven as he answered. "Yes, this is much more important."

"All right." Neelix looked between them and cleared his throat. "Well – I – uh – I have some things to get ready for the morning rush. Seven, consider some of the options I've suggested and we'll chat later."

Seven nodded, sparing her friend a glance and small smile.

Chakotay waited until they were alone before sitting down in the seat next to her, taking her hand. "How was your night?"

"I regenerated sufficiently, but it was not pleasant overall."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted as I did."

"I'm sure it was a shock." She had never really thought about it, the knowledge so basic that it never occurred to her that Chakotay wouldn't know of it, but after seeing Chakotay's stricken face, she realized it was a serious matter between them.

"Yes, but it was selfish of me to walk away."

"Did you envision a brood of children in your future?" She tried to sound teasing, but there was no ignoring the tremulousness beneath the veneer.

Chakotay smiled, not so easily mislead, rubbing her hand with his thumb as he sought appropriate words. "No, I didn't. To be honest, I never really thought about children at all."

"Never?"

"No." He'd already contemplated and come to a conclusion as to why her confession had affected him as it did. "It just surprised me, the fact that we wouldn't have our own. Children aren't necessary to make me happy, but I guess with all the hubbub of baby fever, I got caught up and…"

"You were surprised."

He nodded.

She could understand that, even though it had never been a surprise to her. The Doctor had once tried to lecture on copulation, but it had been unnecessary. Borg knowledge included basic biological information, and she was as aware as the EMH of what the Collective had deemed irrelevant in biological beings. No wonder the Borg Queen had used Seven's assimilated parents as ammunition against her: there was literally nothing more the Collective could take from her.

"Seven? Can you forgive me?"

She smiled, the answer easy.

[Astrometrics]

It was the first time she'd seen Lieutenant Paris in a few days and despite the jokes about new fathers looking fatigued, Seven really thought he looked unwell, more so than he should.

"Hey you two."

"Good morning, Lieutenant," Seven greeted him first.

Icheb, always eager to please, piped up. "Is there something you require?"

"Well, I want to thank you both for helping B'Elanna when she fainted."

Seven nodded, summoning a smirk for Icheb, who frowned at her. "I'm glad it wasn't a parasite."

"It could have been," Icheb defended himself.

Seven just shook her head, smiling.

Tom, though amused, couldn't quite summon more than a short twitch of his lips. "Well, you probably don't know this, but there may be some problems with the pregnancy."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Given how excited the crew already was about such a common thing, she really was sympathetic. Children were nothing unique, but they were rare enough on Voyager.

"The Doctor suggested a treatment for the baby, reworking her genetics, but his findings are very confusing, at least to me." He turned to Icheb, who had already perked up at the mention of genetics. "Do you mind taking a look at this?"

Icheb reached for the PADD immediately. "Of course." 

Seven, though still not back to her normal comfort level with the EMH, nonetheless knew he was skilled and said as much.

It didn't take Icheb long to see the problem. "Your confusion is understandable. There's a computational error."

Seven frowned. "It's not like the Doctor to make a mistake."

"Not like this," Icheb confirmed.

"Maybe it's a glitch in his program," said Tom. He suggested it more out of hope. Inside, he already had some suspicions, and they weren't good.

"I will conduct a diagnostic," said Seven. She bent immediately to the task and in less than a minute raised a concerned brow over her findings. "This is more than a glitch."

"What do you mean?"

"There is evidence his program has been tampered with."

Tom swore and hit his badge, desperate now to contact his wife. She didn't answer his hails, but when the computer confirmed she was in sickbay, he rushed out, leaving two confused former drones behind.

"Humans are strange," said Icheb.

Seven quirked a brow and gave a short nod. _We are indeed._

[Sickbay]

Well over a week later, Seven was calmly going through her regular maintenance exam, a rather mundane thing. The Doctor wanted to check her optical implant more closely as she'd complained of her night vision being foggy and partial blindness during the day.

"It's nothing serious," he assured her. A quick scan confirmed the source of the trouble. "You know, it's quite a miracle that humans can see at all when you consider all the complexities of the eye."

Seven smiled indulgently, but had no answer.

"Did you know, the human eye takes in images upside down, but the brain turns it over?" he asked as he fiddled with her implant.

Seven refrained from rolling her eyes and even from retorting that she knew this basic information.

The Doctor was about to continue when they were surprised by the shimmering air of a transporter. The Doctor left her mid-sentence to rush to the two men.

One lay still, practically unconscious. The EMH went to him first, hurrying to help him to a bed. Seven's strong hands gripped the man's ankles and they lifted him up.

The second man stood, looking somewhat stunned and assessing his situation for the brief moment Seven and the EMH were distracted.

Seven, who left the more seriously injured man to the Doctor's care, turned to the other, identifying him as a Nygean. She moved closer. Despite the Borg knowing of the basics of Nygean existence, there wasn't a lot of information on them. She assumed his jumpsuit was a ship uniform, not familiar with prisoner uniforms in the sector.

"Where are we?" the man asked.

"Our ship, Voyager." Seven gestured for him to move to a bed. Her eyesight had not been completely fixed yet or she might have noticed that he'd obtained a laser scalpel.

"How very nice." He pretended to move to the bed she'd waved to. When she made to follow, he whipped around and pulled her to him. The movement was so fast and unexpected that Borg reflexes couldn't have saved her even if she weren't in need of minor repairs.

Her hand went up reflexively to prevent him from cutting off her oxygen, but though he was strong, she could already sense his intention was not to immediately kill her.

"Aren't you going to scream?"

Seven felt the laser scalpel press against her, but was more irritated than fearful. His words were a huff of hot breath against her ear, adding to her discomfort. "Why?"

Iko was a little surprised by the answer, her attitude nowhere near as frightened as he'd expected. "I will kill you."

"No, you won't."

"You think I can't?" He glanced at the Doctor, who was still distracted, dealing with the other prisoner.

"No doubt you are mentally and physically capable of murder. The uniform you're wearing, I assume, is a prison uniform."

He laughed. "How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess." She'd had enough of this. "Doctor."

"Not now, Seven. Can't you see I'm… Oh." He tapped his badge. "Doctor to Lieutenant Tuvok. There's a situation here."

"Just stay away from me," said Iko, a trace of anxiousness creeping in. This was not going as he'd hoped.

"Look, I'm a doctor. I'm here to help."

"Do what I say and get back." He pressed the scalpel a little further to Seven's throat.

"All right." The Doctor backed away a little and the Nygean likewise took the scalpel back a bit, but still not enough.

"We're not going to hurt you." The Doctor tried to shuffle closer.

"Stay away or I'll kill her!" 

"I'm sure we can resolve this without resorting to violence. What is it you want?"

Iko thought a moment. "A ship, some food." 

"I might be able to arrange that, but you'll have to release her first."

"I'm not a fool."

 _That is debatable,_ thought Seven. She and Iko's attention shifted as the doors opened. Tuvok and Yediq, the warden of the prisoner transport, entered.

At the sight of the warden and an armed man, Iko grew more forceful. "You know I'll kill her if I need to. Tell them."

Yediq had eyes only for his prisoner. There was no room for negotiation, not with the type of monsters he dealt with. "You're not getting off this ship." 

"If you release her," said Tuvok, his voice impassive, "I promise you won't be harmed."

Iko would not give up his leverage. As he said, he was not a fool. "Not until I get a ship." 

Yediq broke in again, but spoke more for Tuvok's benefit than Iko's. He was afraid these Starfleet people wouldn't understand, might even give in to the degenerate's demands. "No, you'll get no ship. We don't negotiate with criminals."

Exasperated and worried for Seven, who sat through the interaction calmly, the Doctor turned to the stranger. "Who are you?" 

"Warden Yediq of the Nygean Detention Force. This man is my prisoner." 

"If that were true," the Doctor sniped, "he wouldn't be holding my friend hostage."

 _This is ridiculous._ With Iko somewhat distracted by the bickering EMH and warden, Seven took advantage of the moment and drove her elbow as hard as she could into the Nygean's stomach. Her position didn't allow much force, but it was enough to make the man bend over in surprise and pain. She then simply walked away.

Iko was faster at recovering than they all assumed, but he didn't make a grab for the tall blond again, instead taking hold of the Doctor. As he'd never encountered an EMH, it didn't occur to him that his hostage might actually be a hologram.

"Get back!"

The Doctor sighed, even less impressed by the situation than Seven was. "I'm a hologram. I can't be harmed."

As though to prove the Doctor's point, Tuvok fired his phaser. Iko fell, stunned.

[Astrometrics]

Seven was working alone when the doors slid open behind her. She stifled as sigh and braced herself for another visit from Neelix or another crewmember regarding wedding plans or her recent stint as a hostage.

Chakotay smiled, seeing the relief cross her face and her stance relax. "Expecting someone else?"

"No, but unexpected visitors are still too common."

He came forward to wrap an arm around her. "Am I disturbing you?"

Seven shook her head and leaned in to steal a quick kiss. "Not at all."

"Then you won't mind me asking how you're doing?"

She sighed. "You heard."

"Of course, I did." He smiled, able to see she clearly wasn't hurt. No doubt she was more upset that her schedule was interrupted. He'd come down to see her more to reassure himself that all was well. "I would have been here sooner, but—"

"You had to assist with our guests." She frowned a little, but not over his delay in seeing her. "You don't need to worry about me."

"And yet I do." He kissed her again, just because he could. "But I can see you're unhurt. So, I'll move on to my second reason for being here. What would you like for dinner?"

She smiled.

"What?"

"I am starting to believe humans think about food more often than any other topic."

His arm tightened, pulling her in closer against him, his smile teasing and a little mischievous. "Not true. I think about something else far more."

Seven leaned in, his lips centimeters from hers, when a familiar voice over the comm. interrupted.

"Doctor to Seven of Nine."

Chakotay sighed irritably and even Seven scowled before dutifully tapping her badge. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Please return to sickbay immediately. I have a patient here who could benefit from some nanoprobes."

"I'll be right there." The link clicked off and Seven turned to face Chakotay. "Fajitas."

"Pardon?"

"That's what I want for dinner." Her lips lifted at the return of his smile. She couldn't resist another kiss.

"Then fajitas is what you'll get. Now," he put on a mock stern expression, "go help the Doctor save a life."

Seven rolled her eyes, which made him laugh.


	18. Chapter 18

**To Save A Life**

The prisoner – Seven recalled his name to be Iko – was already on a bed and even at a distance, she could see he was in bad shape. Bruises and bloody cuts mottled his face. Seven held back a shudder. As much as she disliked the man and condemned what he'd done with his life, she would have liked to think species like the Nygeans were advanced enough to overcome their basic brutality. She knew well enough no species had outgrown its violent roots, but it was still disturbing to see the evidence for herself.

The Doctor looked over as she entered, quickly returning his attention to his instruments. "You remember Mr. Iko."

"Vividly." It would be hard to forget a man who'd taken her hostage only hours earlier.

"The Nygeans decided to make an example of him." His scowl and dark tone made it clear just what he thought of the Nygeans. Seven, however much she disliked the idea of personally taking life, was not in the mood for a debate about the ethics of death penalties. She already knew her ideas did not match up with the Doctor's. Nor was she ready to confront the conflict within herself at the brutality before her.

"Did you call me here to make a point about Nygean barbarity?"

"I called you here," he said with a chastising glare, "because I need your help to save his life. He sustained a severe blow to the head which has caused severe oedema in his parietal lobe. It's blocking vital neurotransmitters. I'd like to program some of your nanoprobes to bypass the oedema." 

There was no real point to saving his life, but it was easier to go with the Doctor's request than debate it. "Very well."

"But?"

"He is going to be executed. Does it matter if he dies now, while he is unaware of his situation, or later in a Nygean prison?"

The Doctor huffed. "If the Nygeans insist on killing him, there isn't much I can do about it, but I won't let them do it on Voyager."

Seven shrugged. Since she'd not taken the man's attack on her personally, it really made no difference to her besides believing it to be a waste of time and resources. She stood still as the Doctor extracted the necessary nanoprobes and even helped him sequence them. They worked in silence, each sensing the other didn't want to know exactly what they were thinking.

Not even an hour later, the Doctor was able to press a hypospray to Iko's neck, waking him. Seven watched, safely on the other side of the surgical bay's shield.

"You suffered severe neurological trauma, but I believe we've repaired the damage," said the Doctor, barely letting his patient time to orient himself before launching into an explanation of the situation.

"Thank you." The words surprised Iko. The habit to thank people had been practically beaten into him by his grandmother and parents, but never seemed to take. That it would be an impulse now was beyond strange. The Doctor, however, didn't notice his discomfort.

"Don't thank me." The Doctor smiled happily. "Thank Seven of Nine. She donated the nanoprobes that saved your life."

Iko looked over and saw the tall blonde he'd held a scalpel to earlier. Immediately, a sharp pain had him doubled over. "Oh! My head."

The Doctor, attributing the exclamation to the nanoprobes working their magic on his injuries, went to prepare something to relieve his patient.

With the EMH gone, Iko looked up at the only other person close by. He was surprised to see – that is to say, he was not used to seeing – calm collectedness. Her eyes were bright blue, more vivid and intriguing than any eyes he'd ever seen. She looked up and pierced him with her cold, calm gaze. That was when he realized something he believed he ought to have noticed when he took her hostage. "You're not afraid of me."

Feeling the instinct to scoff or smile, Seven pushed both aside and simply answered him simply. "There's no reason to fear someone in your condition."

Iko, who now gazed at her with a clarity he didn't possess before, shook his head briefly. "No, you aren't afraid," he said slowly, like a man waking from a dream to tell a passerby the finer points of his visions. "You weren't ever afraid, not even when I tried to kill you."

Seven, recognizing the moment as significant and yet incapable of interpreting it fully, could only raise a brow in confirmation of his assessment.

"It's nice," said Iko, "to look into someone's eyes and not see fear."

His gaze was intense, as though he'd never seen someone like her before and was entranced like a child seeing the sun or moon for the first time. It was too much. She reverted to dry humour to make herself feel better. "Perhaps you would have better luck if you don't hold a laser scalpel to your acquaintance's throats."

Iko nodded, but the movement seemed to pain him and he had to put his hands against his forehead again.

[Chakotay's Bedroom]

The bed was cozy and warm. Or perhaps that was due to Chakotay snuggled up against her back, his arm around her like another, infinitely comforting blanket. Dinner the night before had been pleasant and though they were both too tired for anything besides just falling into bed and sleeping, Seven chose to rest with him instead of going to regenerate. They were both deeply asleep when they were jolted awake.

"Doctor to Seven of Nine."

They both jumped awake. Chakotay let out a loud groan at the disturbance and pulled her in closer, throwing a leg over her for good measure.

Despite her bedmate's grumbly reaction, Seven was able to reach her badge thanks to her long limbs.

"Can you join me in sickbay, please?"

"I will be there—"

"Later," Chakotay hissed in her ear. "You'll be there later."

"—when I can."

A pause. "Oh. All right. Doctor out."

Seven settled back down, smiling as Chakotay kissed her neck and sighed happily. "You're very rude," she teased.

"At 04:00 hours I reserve the right to be grumpy, mean, cantankerous and rude to whoever I choose. It's my privilege as a commanding officer."

"You've never been any of those things with me."

He pressed another warm kiss to her neck. "That's because you're the only one who outranks me here."

[Sickbay]

Seven sauntered into sickbay just in time to hear Iko state, with a mix of sadness and whimsy, that he wished he was made of light like the Doctor. The statement made her pause. It wasn't what he said, but the way he said it. There was something pitiful in his tone, honest and childlike. She shook herself, bringing her back into focus.

 _The man,_ thought Iko, _if he'd been made of light, I couldn't have hurt him._ He began to feel strange.

"Ah, Seven!" The Doctor stepped back through the forcefield to greet her.

"You wanted to see me?"

 _That man… That poor man._

"Yes, Mr. Iko responded so well to the first dose of nanoprobes, I thought a second might improve his condition further. It'll only take a moment to extract them."

 _I killed him…_ Images of the bloody murder and the dead man's staring eyes stabbed Iko's mind.

She still thought it was silly, this use of resources for a man who was theoretically already dead, but she complied. "You and Mr. Iko seem to be getting along well."

The Doctor nodded. "It's the strangest thing. When he first arrived he was crude, abusive. Now he's a model patient. He's grateful, considerate, listens to instructions..."

 _Why did I even kill him? I didn't need to._ Quiet in his reminiscence, Iko's cyclical thoughts went around and around without notice by Seven or the EHM.

"He's obviously an unstable individual. Inconsistent behaviour is hardly surprising, especially if he is used to manipulating those around him." Yes, that would explain her unexpected empathy with the criminal. He was manipulating her. After the Doctor began touting Iko's graciousness as a patient, she suspected the criminal was manipulating the EMH as well.

"Perhaps."

Their work was interrupted by Iko himself.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor and Seven looked over, various levels of concern crossing their features at the way he was clutching his sides. "What's the matter?"

"My stomach." 

The Doctor quickly stepped inside the forcefield and ran a scan, but couldn't find anything to explain pain or even a bit of discomfort. He was about to start a more thorough scan in the event it was a neurological issue when Iko's words stopped him cold.

"I—I – I can't stop thinking about the man I killed."

Seven, who had only experienced a variety of emotions, most of them negative, for the first time less than three years ago, was quicker than the Doctor to identify the source of Iko's pain and turmoil. "You're experiencing guilt." 

"Is that why I'm feeling sick?"

The Doctor nodded, trying to think up a reason for the sudden and unusually strong reaction in his patient. "Nausea could be a symptom of guilt."

"I've never felt guilty before." 

"You've committed many crimes," said Seven. Perhaps the burden of them had finally caught up with him.

"None of them made me feel like this," said Iko. He looked to the EMH and Seven with tortured eyes. "Why did you do this to me?" 

"You committed the crimes," Seven reminded him. "You are responsible for your own guilt, not us."

"Seven!" the Doctor said.

"Intense feelings are common and usually proportional to the pain caused to others." She ignored the Doctor, who looked at her sharply. She thought he might be wondering if she had felt the same way Iko did when she discovered the emotion. She had.

Iko shook his head, still clutching his sides as he fought nausea. "I've never felt this way. Ididn't feel like this until you put those nanoprobes in me. You knew this would happen, didn't you? This is some kind of punishment."

The Doctor shook his head, but Iko was adamant.

"You did this. Take the nanoprobes out." The memory of the dead man's body refused to leave him. It was like someone had fused the picture to the other side of his eyes.

"I can't," said the Doctor. "You could die."

"Please." He groaned, the pain in his heart and mind too much, his stomach rolling with the new sensation of guilt. "I don't want to feel this way anymore."

The Doctor gave Iko one last scan as the man continued to moan. He then took Seven's arm and ushered her to his office.

"Doctor?"

"He might be right," the Doctor whispered as they entered the privacy of the separate room.

"If anything, nanoprobes repress guilt, not emphasise it."

The Doctor frowned at her as he pulled the results of his examinations up on the larger screen at his desk. "You're proof that that's not true."

Seven sighed. "You don't honestly believe we're responsible for his condition."

"We applied the Borg technology." Growing excited as he found what he was looking for, the Doctor pointed to the screen. It was a vivid image of Iko's brain. "Look at this. It's my most recent scan. The neurotransmitters have established new pathways throughout his cortex."

She glanced at it. "I thought that was your intention."

"No, I was simply trying to bypass the oedema." He pointed to where the injury had been. It was healed, but far away from the new neurological activity.

She didn't bother pointing out that the only way to bypass a brain injury was to open up new neural pathways. Clearly, he meant the pathways in the cortex were more extensive than he'd expected and in locations he didn't anticipate. Given the exactness needed to program Borg nanoprobes, she understood his confusion. "Then how did this happen?"

"I don't know. It's possible this is normal Nygean brain activity, but I have no basis for comparison." 

"Considering his reaction, I would suspect it is not normal for him." She thought a moment. "You should ask Mr Yediq to contact a Nygean medical official. Maybe they could provide some relevant information."

[Corridor]

Seven left sickbay in a state of confusion. On the one hand, she found it suspiciously coincidental that Iko had mysteriously developed a sense of remorse and whimsy. And yet she believed him. He'd asked her about her work, growing almost innocent in reminiscing about the stars he'd seen in his youth. His curiosity about astrometrics and the constellations she studied was almost sweetly whimsical, his memory of watching them as a child not unlike the memories she had of being on the Raven. He could be manipulating her, but his expressions had the ring of open truth.

"Are you all right?"

Seven started at Icheb's voice. She hadn't realized she already reached astrometrics. "I am undamaged."

"You were in sickbay?"

"Yes, I provided more nanoprobes for the Doctor and... I had a discussion with the patient."

Icheb's brow furrowed in confusion. "The prisoner?"

"Yes."

"The one who took you hostage."

Seven smiled. "I assure you, he remained behind a forcefield the entire time."

Still frowning a little, Icheb turned back to work. Though he stood at a console, he was not working per se. He was researching and compiling a paper on temporal anomalies for his Starfleet courses.

"I am going to collect some data and return to sickbay after lunch. Is that permissible?" she asked, teasing him.

"To provide more nanoprobes?"

"If required." She didn't want to tell him about her unusual conversation with Iko, or that she was actually going back to give the convict data on the constellations he'd connected with in childhood.

"It seems an inefficient use of resources." He glanced at her, not liking that she was expected to give up nanoprobes without hesitation to save the man who'd tried to kill her. Her small smile at his remark irritated him. "What?"

"I said the same thing."

"You did?"

She nodded. "It may interest you to know the nanoprobes seem to have given the prisoner a change in personality."

"How so?"

"He appears to have developed a sense of right and wrong."

"And you believe him?" Icheb was incredulous.

"I am open to the possibility of redemption."

Icheb opened his mouth to argue, but nothing would come to him. Eventually, he just nodded and returned to work. He'd not been fully assimilated by the Borg so he'd never personally participated in the atrocities of the Collective. However, knowledge transmitted through the hive mind ensured he had at least an idea of the process and the trauma. Seven, Icheb knew, had full personal knowledge of the assimilation process.

Redemption sounded really good.

[Cargo Bay/ Brig]

Neelix sat in cargo bay one, which had been converted into a makeshift jail, a Kadis Kot board in front of him and prisoners and guards all around. His presence and actions were at odds with his company. He'd felt nervous at first, but now he was at ease, having pushed aside his judgmental instincts in favour of compassion.

Joleg, the Benkaran Neelix had befriended, eyed the board. The game wasn't difficult to grasp, but he didn't want to defeat the Talaxian too quickly or make it look too easy. He made his move almost hesitantly. "Eleven six, green."

Neelix smiled, not disappointed that he'd lost. "That's Kadis-kot. Congratulations. You know," he said kindly as he reset the board, "I've been doing some research on the Nygean legal system. You were right about the Benkarans receiving harsher sentences. I saw the statistics." 

Joleg glanced up at Neelix, careful not to sound more than accepting and a little sad. "The statistics won't save me."

"I noticed some people convicted of murder, even terrible premeditated murders, weren't executed. Some aren't punished at all, but you were sentenced to death." 

Joleg knew all that. It was common knowledge in Nygean society. He calmed his excitement at Neelix's clear sense of social outrage and answered as though he was explaining a blue sky to a child. "That's what the family wants."

"The family?" 

"After you're convicted, the family of the victim sentences you." He hid a smile as the Talaxian's brows rose at that information. 

"Well, shouldn't you be sentenced by someone less partial, like a judge?"

"Vekto valek k'vadim. It's ancient Nygean. It means to favour the victims. What if I stole your game board? What right would a judge have to assign value to your loss? To him, it's just a game board, but to you it might be a priceless family possession. What right does he have to assign a level of importance to your item?"

Neelix shrugged, gleaning some of the reason behind the system.

"And what if I murdered your child?"

Neelix didn't like it, but he understood both the logic and unfairness of the system. A day didn't go by that he didn't wish he could get revenge for his family. When he'd first learned what happened to his home world, he wanted to attack and murder every last enemy with his bare hands.

"Vekto valek k'vadim. It's the basis for the Nygean legal system."

"What about the criminals that didn't serve any sentence at all?" Surely anyone who suffered the loss of a loved one would want the criminal to die, just as Neelix wished his family's murderers would die a horrible death.

"Some people prefer restitution to revenge." Joleg smiled, seeing Neelix's revulsion at the idea before he'd even finished. "If a defendant is wealthy enough, he can negotiate a settlement with the victim's family."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"It's perfectly fair, unless you're destitute." Unspoken was the fact that Joleg was in just such a situation as were many Benkarans. Historical circumstances made them disadvantaged, making those who escaped their poverty a rarity. While that didn't necessarily mean they were more inclined to be criminals, Joleg had followed the example of his criminal brothers and his own depraved inclinations. Of course, the Talaxian didn't need to know about the rest of Joleg's criminal history or why circumstantial evidence had been enough to convict him. 

"Maybe I can talk to the captain about finding a way to compensate your victims," said Neelix. It was unbearable to him that a kind man like Joleg would be sent to die like a pig to slaughter for something he hadn't even done.

 _This is too easy._ "I'm grateful. But it would imply I'm guilty. I wouldn't want that." 

"There must be something I can do." Neelix's mind raced from compensation to possible appeals. Surely a competent advocate could show how Joleg was innocent.

Joleg restrained his impulse to laugh and gloat. How easy it was to bend an honest person to his will! He was willing to bet that a few more pathetic stories and Neelix would break him out of prison and give him a hot meal to go. "You can transmit a letter to my brother. I'd like to let him know what's happened to me."

"I'll get a PADD."

[Mess]

Chakotay was unaccustomed to waiting for Seven. She usually beat him to whichever location they'd agreed to meet. Given how late he was – all thanks to the added burden of dealing with so many unexpected guests – he was surprised he had to wait at all.

"Stood up?" Tom didn't wait for an invitation, settling down with Chakotay despite the older man's frown. Though they were late, the lunch rush hadn't dissipated yet.

"No." _I don't think so._

"Well, in any case, I have something I meant to ask you."

"Oh?" He picked at the food on his plate. It wasn't terribly appealing or easily identifiable. _Is this lasagna?_

"Bachelor party."

"Pardon?"

"You need a bachelor party." Tom shovelled the collection of noodles, vegetables, and cheese into his mouth, doing his best to ignore the leola root. "Of course, it would be easier to plan one if I knew the date you and Seven set."

Chakotay frowned. "We haven't set a date."

Tom shook his head, disappointed in the older man. "If you don't want her to get away, you better seal the deal as soon as you can."

He couldn't help laughing at that. "Says the man who dated B'Elanna for how long?"

"That's different," Tom said, grinning. "I had to work the ol' charm with her. I don't think you noticed, but B'Elanna can be standoffish until she gets to know you."

"And Seven's not?"

"All the more reason to hurry before she comes to her senses."

"Thanks for that vote of confidence." Chakotay continued to smile and joke as Tom pitched ideas for a bachelor party. Chakotay made sure not to lean too far in any particular direction, not wanting Tom to get carried away too quickly.

Though Chakotay pretended nothing was wrong, his relationship with Seven had not been so smooth as to prevent him from feeling his hold a little tenuous. Tom's words left him with a niggling doubt. _Should we have fixed a date already?_

Despite his distraction, Chakotay could not have missed Seven's entrance. So desirous to see her, he kept one eye on the door and one on Tom, hoping to spot her blonde hair through the crowd. He was eventually rewarded.

"I apologise for my tardiness." Seven settled in the seat next to Chakotay, restraining her urge to kiss him since Tom was there. She nodded at the pilot.

"No problem. I figured you got held up."

Seven bobbed her head. She took his abandoned fork and started poking at the casserole left on his plate. Normally she would have gotten her own, but it would have been a waste. She wasn't very hungry. Besides, it didn't look appetizing… or edible. "I assisted the Doctor most of the morning and then was catching up on work."

"So, Seven," said Tom, sparing a quick, teasing glance at Chakotay, "I was wondering if you've thought about a date for your wedding."

Without missing a beat, Seven looked up at him. "With so many people providing suggestions, it has been difficult to imagine what would suit us."

"Ah." A lesser man would have squirmed under her unwavering, unblinking gaze. Tom, however, was used to challenging women and had always been unfazed by Seven's mannerisms. Ignoring her deliberate attempts to intimidate him was not hard. "Well, it's something you two will want to think about quick. I know B'Elanna and the Captain are eager for your bachelorette party."

"That much is evident." She returned to picking at the remnants of Chakotay's plate.

Though she had fulfilled her promise to look up the constellations Iko mentioned, his condition haunted her. She knew what intense guilt felt like, remembered being sick with it and going to the Doctor to help make it go away. He'd assured her it was nothing he could help with, that she would have to deal with it on her own. That was the first time. She'd experienced many instances of intense guilt, but never again troubled the EMH with it, not even when it left her unable to regenerate or eat, not when she could barely make herself walk let alone work, not even when she'd stood in her cargo bay wondering why she bothered to breathe.

"Seven?"

She looked up and between the two men, unsure which one had spoken her name. "Pardon?"

"I asked if you'd considered a theme," said Tom.

"No, I didn't." She sighed, putting her fork down. "I am uncomfortable enough with parties. I do not require a theme."

Tom, to do him credit, gave this admittance all due sympathy and thoughtfulness. "You know, there's nothing to say we can't make it a party for the whole ship and combine the bachelor and bachelorette party. It's less work and with a bigger crowd, you two will only be the focus for a little bit." He brightened with an idea. "Fairhaven is always lively. It's a good place for a party and there's always enough going on to distract most attendees."

Seven, who had only attended Fairhaven once for an obligatory ten minutes and once with Chakotay, looked to her fiancé, who rubbed his chin. He leaned back in his seat, slinging an arm around the back of her chair as he tried to envision it.

"Yes, that just might be a good idea." Chakotay glanced at Tom, but his focus quickly returned to Seven. "How soon can you put something together, Tom?"

Seven's brows raised, but she didn't say anything against him.

It was Tom's turn to look between them. "Uh, I suppose I can have a party put together for the end of the month."

"Good," said Chakotay. "Then the wedding will be a week after." Despite his confident statement, he raised a brow, silently asking Seven's confirmation. She nodded briefly, but looked nervous.

It was enough for Tom. He wished for them to enjoy their lunch and hurried away.

"What's wrong?" Chakotay asked when they were alone.

"Are you sure that's long enough to plan a wedding?" Unspoken was her desire to ensure the whole experience would be perfect… for him even more than for her.

"I told you, I'm not picky." And yet, he felt a little guilty at having left it all to her to deal with. "Why don't we talk about the details tonight? We're efficient individuals. I'm sure we can figure it out."

Seven smiled, feeling herself relax as a weight she didn't realize she'd been carrying was lifted. Maybe the whole crew wouldn't come to her with questions about every possible aspect of the ceremony. "That would be acceptable."

"Good." Despite the full mess hall, Chakotay leaned forward, his hand coming to rest on the back of her neck to guide her to him. The kiss was shorter than he would have liked, but he didn't argue when she pulled away, her eyes darting around… as though anyone paid them any attention.

Despite Chakotay's confidence – which she found oddly endearing and even a little emboldening – Seven still found public displays of affection embarrassing. She knew eventually it would dissipate, but until then she fought her desire to give in to his affection and moved away in case anyone was watching.

"I am returning to sickbay after lunch," she said. She glanced at Chakotay, somewhat uncertain of what his reaction would be. There was a definite stiffening in his shoulders, but otherwise he appeared passive. The hand he left along her chair drew circles on her shoulder, soothing both of them.

"Oh? Everything all right?"

"Yes. The prisoner, Iko, requested I look up some constellations."

Surprised, Chakotay quirked a brow at her.

"The infusion of nanoprobes into his system has had some unusual side effects. He literally is not the same man he initially was. The Doctor is researching it."

"Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?"

"No." She hesitated.

"What?"

"I have a theory, but would prefer to wait for the Doctor's diagnosis."

"Well, I'd like to hear your theory." Chakotay's arm rested around her back, warm and encouraging. He was no Betazoid, but he was getting a pretty good handle on how to coax what he wanted from her.

"Very well. The Doctor found the nanoprobes created new neural pathways in the prisoner's brain. It was originally to bypass an injury, but the prisoner has also undergone a personality change. I suspect the pathways created bypassed an old injury or defect that prevented him from feeling remorse."

"It's possible." It was common knowledge that brain injuries could cause severe personality changes in humans. There was no reason to believe any other species was immune to such things. "I would have thought, though, that Nygean society and medical science was advanced enough that they'd catch such a problem."

"As would I. However, it may be that they simply have no cure for it, or he never sought treatment."

Chakotay shrugged. "I'll be curious to hear what the Doctor finds."

"I will be sure to notify you."

He nodded, his eyes on her, taking in more than she realized. "What else?"

It was her turn to quirk a brow.

"Something else is bothering you. What is it?"

Seven tried to frown, but his insight was too endearing and it melted into a small smile. "I am considering the similarities between us, me and Ik – the prisoner."

"You mean the sudden resurgence of a conscience?" Yes, he could understand that. Seven had no compass for morality until she learned it… all thanks to the Borg. This prisoner could very likely be the same. "How responsible for his previous actions was he if they were the result of a biological defect?"

"Precisely."

Chakotay sighed, sad to admit he had no answers. "That is a question toiled over for centuries. I can only tell you what my grandfather told me when I posed the question to him."

"Which is?"

"Life is a series of challenges and lessons for us to learn, some now and some in the afterlife. In the end, this existence holds no easy answers. We can only do what we think is best in the moment."

"That is not particularly comforting," she said with a frown.

Chakotay laughed. "That's pretty much what I said too."

"And what is your response?" She arched a brow.

"It's the best answer we've got."

[Sickbay]

No explosions or other dangerous encounters meant Iko was the only patient in sickbay when Seven returned later that afternoon. After talking with Chakotay, she returned to astrometrics and downloaded more than just the data on the stellar cartography Iko had mentioned. It occurred to her – quite possibly because Chakotay's more tender presence put her in mind of human sentimentality – that Iko would prefer images to simple data.

The security guard let her through the surgical bay's forcefield without question. She handed Iko the PADD. "I thought you might find this interesting."

Iko took the PADD and glanced down. "What is it?"

"An astrometrics log. It contains data on various star formations." She gave a slight nod, prompting Iko to change the page displayed. "And it has images from our scans."

It was more than he'd hoped for and yet…

Seven watched Iko's shoulders slump just a little and was disappointed. "Is it not sufficient?"

"No, it's wonderful." Indeed, the images were more detailed than he would have seen with his naked eye, but they lacked something. "It's just not the same as looking at the stars for myself."

"Is there much difference?" She could only really remember looking at astronomical data and images through the filter of technology or as they passed on a starship. Before that, it had been through the Collective's mind.

Iko nodded firmly. "Oh, yes, very different. When you're lying on the ground, seeing the whole universe spread out across the sky, you realize how small your life is, how miraculous the smallest life is." He looked up at her. "Haven't you ever felt that?"

Seven shook her head. "I don't recall. I was assimilated as a child and since then been confined more or less to a ship."

"Assimilated?" He eyes moved to the metal above her eye. "Is that where you got that?"

"Yes. It's a cybernetic implant." Then, because he seemed not to comprehend, she added, "It was installed by the Borg." 

He imagined having a piece of metal placed around his eye. "It must have hurt."

She shifted uncomfortably. "I don't recall." 

"I hurt people," he said, emphasizing his own blame. Shame and sorrow filled him to the brim. "I deserve to die."

Seven had no answer. She often felt the same way about herself.

[Briefing Room]

Seven was not sure if she was relieved or depressed to be proven right in her theories about Iko. The Doctor's scans and comparisons to other Nygeans proved he'd undergone a fundamental change in biology that allowed him to access parts of his brain that had cut him off from his emotions and conscience. That he was no longer the same man meant even she didn't believe his death sentence was warranted. However, she knew even less about how to argue his case or what outcome she desired for him.

Luckily, Yediq's blatant disregard for his prisoner's health and life made it easier for her to take a contrary stand.

Around the briefing room were Seven, Captain Janeway, the Doctor, Lt. Tuvok, and Yediq. Seven knew Janeway would support the Doctor's suggestion for a retrial, but how far the Captain would push the request was uncertain. They were a single ship in foreign territory and couldn't risk taking on a whole system over the fundamentals of their justice system.

"Are you suggesting we release him?" Yediq's incredulous tone left no doubt as to how he felt about such a thing.

"Of course not," said the Doctor, "but at the very least his case should be re-examined."

"Because he's sorry." Yediq scoffed. 

Seven spoke up. "There's new medical evidence to be considered."

"None of it changes the fact that he killed a man."

"No." There was no excuse for what he'd done, just an explanation. "However, he was suffering from a neurological defect. He couldn't control his behaviour."

The Doctor supported her. "If Iko had been diagnosed and treated, he never would have committed that crime. In a matter of speaking, he's a victim of his own biology."

"So Iko is the victim now?" Yediq laughed. "Ridiculous."

Janeway held up a pacifying hand. "No one's denying that he committed a terrible crime, but as a result of the Doctor's treatments he's undergone a significant change. Killing him won't accomplish anything."

"That's not your decision to make."

"Nor is it yours," said Seven evenly. Inside she was bristling. Yediq was neither a victim nor the judicial system itself… What made him think he could dictate what happed?

Yediq faced Seven, unyielding and unaware of what she had been. Like Iko, he was ignorant of what the metal on her face and hand meant. "He's obviously deceiving you somehow."

Janeway, already hearing the rise in their voices, knew this argument would only get out of hand unless she intervened. "Listen, we could debate this all day, but the fact is our personal opinions are irrelevant. All that matters is Nygean law."

Tuvok, the most versed in legal systems of them all, asked what should have been asked initially. "Does Iko have a legal means of appeal at his disposal?" 

Yediq sighed, but answered truthfully. He hated, absolutely hated criminals, but he was also an honourable enough man to uphold the law as best he could. "In accordance with Nygean penal code, a capital defendant has a right to appeal his sentence to the family of his victims."

[Sickbay]

"Take back the appeal."

This was not the response Seven expected and yet she understood his meaning instantly. "You'd rather die because you think it'll relieve your pain?"

Iko was adamant, so much so that she would have believed he'd become dangerous if his new personality weren't so against violence. "Death is what I deserve. You say I've changed, but I look at these hands every day and I see them squeezing that man's throat. And I hear the sounds he made. I'm disgusting."

Seven hesitated. "Do you think I'm disgusting?"

He was confused by the question, staring at her a second before answering. "No, you've been nothing but kind to me."

"You asked me earlier about my occipital implant. It did hurt and it still does."

"Why did you lie?"

"I was Borg, assimilated into the Collective and as a result, I forced others to undergo the same procedure. I took their lives away. It doesn't physically hurt anymore, but I often think about the lives I destroyed."

"Why did you do it?" He quirked his head, truly trying to understand, unable to comprehend how this kind woman with the piercing eyes could have done such a thing.

"I was compelled to do so by the Borg Collective. I wasn't in control of my actions, just as you weren't in control when you took a life. My nanoprobes have given you control. You're a different person now. You don't deserve to be executed."

Iko stared at her, both of them wondering if she was trying to convince him that his life was worth saving, or if the conversation was equally about her. In the end, Iko decided it didn't matter if she was trying to convince herself of something. He knew what he'd done, what his fate was, and what he deserved.

"What are you doing?" Seven watched as he reached out and pressed his hand against the forcefield, shaking with the effort and pain it cost him.

"I want to go back to my cell."

"You don't have to."

"It's what I deserve." 

[Chakotay's Quarters]

He found her, sitting with her back to him and watching the passing stars. She didn't move when the doors opened, didn't even acknowledge his presence. Given that he hadn't seen hide nor hair of her for almost two days, it hurt a little. A short conversation with Captain Janeway before the end of his shift, however, tempered his pain. Seven's absence wasn't about him.

"How are you?"

"I am…"

He waited, standing just a little behind her, waiting for her to say she was fine, or her version of the stereotypical response. It never came. "Seven?"

"I am not well."

Immediately, he rounded the couch she'd turned to face the large windows. He saw with some surprise and instant sympathy that her eyes were watery. He longed to gather her into his arms, but he wasn't sure how that would be received. Seven, still attempting stoicism, refused to let the tears fall.

He'd heard, of course, how it was a prisoner's brother who attacked them, trying to break the prisoners from their confinement.

He'd also heard how Iko, the man whose life Seven tried to save, was denied his freedom even after saving Yediq, a man and torturer he could easily have allowed to die. Chakotay had read the reports from the Doctor, had talked about the situation with Janeway, helped Tuvok facilitate the legal appeal, and waited patiently for the person at the crux of the situation to reach out in her own time. She'd remained hidden from him – pumping out a warp core analysis in record time and avoiding all unnecessary contact – until now.

"They denied his appeal," she said, looking up at him.

Chakotay nodded. That had occurred over twenty-four hours ago. "I heard. I'm sorry."

Seven looked back at the stars. "He's dead now."

There was really nothing he could think of to say.

"He was with me in astrometrics when they came to take him back to his cell."

Chakotay nodded again, but remained otherwise still. He'd heard this too.

"I could have done more."

"Like take on all the guards and help him escape?" He tried to smile, but the joke fell flat. "From what the Doctor told me, he wouldn't have gone even if you'd tried."

Seven looked away, hiding a stray tear.

Hoping her appearance in their quarters instead of taking the night to regenerate meant she wanted his presence, Chakotay sat next to her. His hand reached out, touching the hair lying across the back of the couch, but not quite daring to pull her closer. "You did your best to help him, Seven. No one could have done more."

She nodded, but was unmoved.

"You were hoping to gain personal redemption by saving him."

Seven looked at him. She would have at least smirked if it had been under different circumstances. "You and Captain Janeway are uncannily perceptive." At his raised brow, she elaborated. "She visited me this afternoon in astrometrics. She suggested I'd been punished enough for the atrocities I committed for the Borg."

"She's right," said Chakotay without hesitation. "You didn't do what you did _for_ the Borg, you did it because of them, because you weren't in control."

"Neither was Iko." Despite Janeway's assurances that the years she lost to the Borg was punishment enough, Seven almost yearned for a more tangible penalty. How could Iko be killed for something that was arguably not his fault while she lived on? It was so unfair she would have traded places with Iko if she could.

Chakotay frowned, guessing some of her thoughts. "Well, if you like," he said in a falsely cheery voice, "I can try to toss you out the airlock again."

Seven half huffed a breath of amusement at the ridiculous statement. She looked at him, feeling herself crumple despite her moment of humour. His expression was so concerned and empathetic that she gave no second thought before moving to him.

"He said I was the first person not afraid to look him in the eye," she said, her voice breaking as she snuggled into Chakotay's chest.

"You always were brave." He wrapped his arms around her, surprised and yet grateful for the quick change in position. He knew he couldn't fix the situation, nor how she was feeling, but he was glad she would trust him to confide in and provide comfort.

Feeling the ring on her finger and Chakotay's warmth around her, she only felt the unfairness more. She wanted to rage, to scream, to undo all that she had done thanks to the Borg. In that moment, she would have given up even Chakotay if she could have removed all feelings of guilt. She'd tried and failed to gain redemption by saving a life. Now, she felt Iko's death and the hopes she'd raised in him regarding the appeal were all added to her unspoken debt.

Chakotay felt her shaking just a little. He moved his hand up and ran a thumb along her jaw, finding the tears were trailing down her cheeks and dripping onto his shirt. He held her tighter as the silent tears increased. She didn't full out sob. Her control was too good for that, but he knew it was the most emotion she'd shown in all the time he'd known her. He also knew it would take more than a single good cry for her to get over the trauma of such an event.

"I know you were hoping for a lot from this situation," said Chakotay after awhile. Her tears had finally slowed, but she seemed in no hurry to sit up or move away, which was fine by him. "Atonement is a tall order to fill."

She gave a little twitch, which might have been a nod.

"But did you ever consider that the only person who can give you the forgiveness you need, is you?" He smiled a little. Her face was still pressed to his chest and he could practically feel her eyes roll at his suggestion. "I'm serious. Let's pretend you tracked down every person affected by you and your actions when you were Borg. Let's say you begged their forgiveness and they all told you they were able to move on and didn't hold you accountable. Would you actually feel that weight lifted?"

Seven thought about it, truly putting effort into imagining she'd spoken with all her victims and their families. She could tell them she was sorry, that she'd never repeat her actions again, that she'd do everything in her power to atone for her actions. If they did forgive her… If they did so unequivocally… No, she could feel a twist in her stomach that gave her an immediate answer. "It would be easier if they did not forgive me. Why?"

"Because then you could continue hating yourself and have an external focus for your guilt instead of dealing with the more difficult possibility of forgiving yourself."

She shook her head a little, appreciating his insightfulness and yet amused by it. "I still can't understand how you were able to see past my previous actions."

Chakotay laughed and pressed a kiss to her hair. "Maybe I know it's easier to forgive someone else than it is to forgive yourself."

Seven looked up at him then. "How do you forgive yourself?"

He hesitated, hoping to come up with some insightful quote or moment of clarity. Nothing of use sparked in his mind and he was forced to admit his lack of answer. "I don't think you ever really do. We can just continue on, trying to be the best we can to ensure we don't make the same mistakes twice."

"That's not particularly comforting."

Chakotay smiled sadly. "No, but it's the best answer we've got. Does it help to know you're loved despite past mistakes, that I love you for who you are?"

"Yes. I love you too."


	19. Chapter 19

**The Void**

"I was thinking that for our third course," Neelix announced to Chakotay and Seven, "luhvian quail in truffle sauce, served with roasted chadre kab." 

Seven and Chakotay glanced at each other.

Neelix caught their shared look. "It's one of the dishes we practiced your cooking with, Seven."

"I remember," she said with a smile. She also remembered that a recent encounter with a ship willing to trade had yielded more than enough ingredients for the dish. Neelix would no doubt be pushing similar recipes until the supplies ran out or he grew tired of it.

"It was delicious," said Chakotay, "but isn't it a little… elaborate?" He didn't really think they needed three courses to begin with and the logistics of preparing enough for the whole crew (for they all wanted to attend in some capacity) was a little much. However, like six types of dessert and every imaginable wine option, Neelix seemed determined to overdo the whole project despite a very tight deadline. The wedding was supposed to take place in a week thanks to a flurry of planning and organizing by Seven, Tom and Neelix.

"Not at all, Commander!" Neelix thrust the plate a little closer for Chakotay to take a bite. They were by no means the only three people in the mess, but they were the only ones getting attention just then. "With any luck, you just get one wedding and we should make sure it's done right."

"Still miffed B'Elanna and Tom didn't let you plan anything?" Chakotay smirked.

Neelix mock scowled. "Awfully selfish of them if you ask me."

"Hey," said a familiar voice, "we're right here!" Tom waved as though Neelix had not stopped to speak to him and B'Elanna before dropping off the quail.

"I know. I meant for you to hear," Neelix retorted, not sparing a glance at the neighbouring table.

Tom huffed, but was smiling and even B'Elanna chuckled. "Do we get any of those samples?"

Neelix pretended to think as Seven and Chakotay nibbled. "Well, I don't know. Let me see if I have something for the mother-to-be at least."

As Neelix disappeared into the kitchen and Tom stared hopefully after him, B'Elanna focussed on the other couple. "So, how are the plans going?"

"They are proceeding with surprising efficiency," said Seven. It was true. Now that they'd chosen a date, they had by necessity become more adept at making other decisions. The food, it seemed, would not be left entirely to their choice, but Seven and Tom picked a holoprogram that Chakotay was going to look at after their meeting with Neelix, and Chakotay had researched a simple ceremony he thought would be fitting and not too long. They'd decided on civilian clothing and Seven already chose a dress with the help of several female crewmembers.

"You know," said B'Elanna with a teasing smirk, "it's not too late to elope."

"Neelix is very likely to murder us if we do," said Seven.

B'Elanna and Chakotay laughed. "Yes, you're probably right."

"Thank you again, Lieutenant, for your help yesterday."

B'Elanna nodded, pleased her opinion had been sought and so obviously valued by Seven. She avoided looking at Chakotay, who was glancing from one to the other.

"What did you two do yesterday?"

"Nothing," said both women in unison. They smiled like children hiding a fun secret. Chakotay was unsure if he should be wary or pleased at their comradery.

[Holodeck]

The sun was just setting on the Arizona desert, making a colourful display of pinks, reds, and orange in the sky. The fading light of the sun made the red rock around them glow as shadows lengthened. A coyote howled.

Seven watched Chakotay watch the sun set, her hopes high and her nerves anxious to please. When she couldn't wait for him anymore, she faced him fully. "Is it sufficient?"

Chakotay saw her usually confident stance was tense, her eyes holding concern for his approval. He would have teased her a little if he didn't realize then just how much she hoped the program would please him. "Yes, Seven, it's beautiful, perfect even."

Sighing, Seven shuffled closer as Chakotay's arm wrapped around her. She was relieved. Even though he'd said the finer details didn't matter to him, this was going to be his wedding too. He deserved to enjoy it.

"So, what did B'Elanna help you with?"

Seven shook her head, smiling secretively. "You will have to wait to find out."

"Fine." He knew when to concede defeat and when either Seven or B'Elanna had it in their heads to keep a secret, there was no point trying to wrestle the information from them.

Spotting a bright patch of colour, Chakotay pulled away slightly to stoop and pluck a delicate bloom from the ground. It was a bright blue with an intricate centre where the pollen was housed. He didn't know what it was called, but it was pretty. Chakotay wouldn't have told her, but it reminded him of Seven's blue biosuit, which had been his favourite before she switched to a uniform.

"Delphinium scaposum," Seven supplied. She took the offered flower. "It's beautiful."

"Only half as beautiful as you."

Seven smiled, stifling a laugh. "Have you been reading the Captain's romance holonovels?"

"Who said they were hers?"

They laughed together and began picking their way through the darkening trail to a small outlook with a wood bench.

They used the rest of their allotted time to watch the extended sunset and a little of the pre-programmed meteor shower. When their time was up, Seven shut off the program and they headed out.

Seven intended to regenerate as she had skipped it in favour of sleeping so Chakotay walked her to the cargo bay.

They were just about at the door when a shudder and sound of a loud thump to Voyager made them turn around.

Voyager gave a massive heave, tossing Seven and Chakotay around. Chakotay landed hard on his knees. Seven managed to keep on her feet, but slammed her shoulder into the wall in the process.

[Mess]

Neelix helped B'Elanna to her feet and glanced around. No one seemed very hurt, but they were all a little shaken from the sudden and violent lurch. Cups, utensils and plates were scattered all over the place.

B'Elanna pressed her badge. "Lt. Torres to—"

Neelix stared past her, interrupting in a stunned voice. "What happened to the stars?" 

B'Elanna and Tom turned. Sure enough, the stars were gone. Around them was only black, the absence of anything and everything.

They only had a minute to stare before the tell-tale shudders of an attack drove the crew into action. B'Elanna and Tom headed to their posts as Voyager's security was breached and various items stolen in a cruelly efficient raid.

[Briefing room]

General Valen, an Annari male in charge of a weathered and yet strong warship, sat in the large starship's briefing room with Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, Seven of Nine, Lt. Tuvok and Lt. Paris. More of the senior staff would have attended, but they were busy fixing what had been damaged or identifying stolen goods.

Valen looked around the room, his greed for the resources around him disguised as helpfulness. "The anomaly is a closed structure, encased by an inert layer of subspace. Matter and energy can't penetrate it." 

"Our ships certainly penetrated it when we were pulled in," said Janeway.

"By the funnels," he nodded. "They only pull matter in one direction. Things come into the Void, but they don't come out."

Tuvok was wary of the stranger, their first experiences in the Void having left him with a sense of vulnerability. Even if he hadn't been in charge of security, that feeling would have bothered him. As it was, he watched Valen closely even as he asked simple questions. "Have you explored the entire anomaly?"

Valen shrugged. "There's nothing to explore, but it's big. We've calculated the outer circumference at approximately nine light years, but we've never been able to breech it."

Tom, who was avoiding looking out the window as best he could, asked how long Valen had been there.

"More than five years."

Tom shuddered. He already didn't like the Void, which gave a sense of being enclosed rather than in a vast expanse. As a pilot, he needed to see stars. Five years would be intolerable.

"There must be a way to escape," Janeway insisted.

 _Only through death._ "New arrivals are always thinking about escape. No one ever gets out." 

"We have a sophisticated starship. Maybe if we work together we can find a way out."

"You're naïve to think no one has tried. As I said, no one ever gets out."

"We might be able to think of something new," she said, still clearly pressing for an alliance. It was clear from his pitying look that Valen didn't think the effort would be of value.

"Many have tried. All they did was waste resources that could have kept them alive longer. Don't be foolish. I can help you." 

Chakotay, who, like Tuvok, had a bad taste in his mouth from their first few minutes in the Void was skeptical. He also didn't like Valen. "How?"

"The only source of food and energy in the Void comes from new ships that are drawn in. If you want to survive here, you'll have to compete for their resources."

Janeway stood a little taller, her eyes growing steely. "And I suppose you can help us do that?"

Valen nodded. His time in the Void had left him somewhat rusty with reading those who were not yet desperate. "I have tactical data on some of the more dangerous predators."

Out of the corner of her eye, Janeway saw the rest of her crew were as concerned by this offer of assistance as she was. "But you want something in return."

"My scans show you have photon torpedoes."

"I'm sorry, we don't trade weapons." _Even if we did, I wouldn't give them to you._

"Why not?" He tried to smile, his stance as open and inviting as he knew to make it.

"Because we have no way of knowing what they'll be used for. Plundering innocent ships, for example." _Or being used against us_. It was a thought shared by everyone in the room. 

Valen was unperturbed by her hesitance. He'd seen it before. "Wait a few weeks until your resources start to run out," he said knowingly. "Morality won't keep your life support systems running."

"I'm sorry, General. There are some compromises I won't make."

He smiled. "Not yet."

[Astrometrics]

Seven had never been gladder for the presence of astrometrics or the automatic scanning programs she used to ensure nothing was missed. Thanks to those scans, she only spent a fraction of the time that would otherwise be needed to produce her conclusions.

"What have you found?" asked Janeway, striding through the door without preamble or greeting, Tuvok and Tom in tow. Chakotay was manning the bridge and compiling updates from around the ship or else he would have joined them.

Seven, not offended in the least by the Captain's brisk manner, pushed in a command to show her findings. A simulation of a funnel appeared on the large screen. "Using fractal algorithms with the Borg sensors, I believe I can predict where and when the funnels will occur."

Tom, who had taken up a spot leaning against the end of the console eyed the display. His usual good humour was replaced with sarcastic skepticism to cope with the unavoidable fear the Void filled him with. "Well, that's impressive, but how does it help us?"

"The funnels originate inside the anomaly," Seven advised, bringing up a diagram of Voyager to demonstrate her point, "creating massive graviton forces before they erupt. If we were to enter one of the funnels just as that happened we might be able to use those forces to propel us into normal space." 

Janeway shook her head, interpreting the scrolling information on the console screen with concern. "Not without compromising structural integrity."

"I might be able to reinforce the shields to compensate," said Tuvok. 

Seven, though hopeful in her proposal, was not one to ignore very real danger. She was quick to point out what Janeway did not already know. "There's another problem. When the graviton forces reach critical levels, the polarity suddenly reverses, pulling everything near the funnel back into the anomaly."

"We'd have to jump to warp at exactly the right moment," said Tom, cottoning on. _Like getting out of a strong tide._

"Yes. We'd need to achieve a velocity of warp eight point two."

"Question is, will we have enough power?"

That was a question concerning Janeway before it even became a matter of escape. She felt her frown etching deeper into her face. "At the rate we're losing it, we may only get one shot at this. The sooner we try, the better."

[Bridge]

Voyager moved through the empty space, sensors the only way to know that they moved at all.

The crew were dutifully at their posts, every muscle tense and their senses straining for their moment of salvation. Besides the beeping of the computer, a shuffle of nervous feet here and a cough there, the crew was silent, waiting.

Since all but the sensors were shut down in astrometrics to conserve power, Seven took her station on the bridge. Ignoring the tension of the crew, she focussed on the readings being fed to her post. It didn't take long to track down what she needed. "There's a funnel forming seventy thousand metres off the port bow, bearing one three zero mark two four."

"Graviton surge in thirty-four seconds," said Harry.

"Full power to shields and structural integrity." Janeway breathed deep, steadying her nerves for what she knew would be a bumpy ride no matter how it ended. Beside her, Chakotay did the same. "Take us in, Mr. Paris."

Seven quickly calculated how long they had. "Five seconds. Four, three…" 

"Structural integrity at twenty percent," said Tuvok. "Ten percent."

"Fifty thousand kilometres until we reach normal space," Seven advised. They were close.

Janeway nodded. _So close…_ "Prepare to go to warp." 

Voyager lurched. Several consoles blew and threw sparks everywhere, and anyone not seated was thrown to the floor. When thy picked themselves up and looked out the main screen, everyone's heart sank.

The Void spread out in front of them, an endless abyss with no escape.

[Briefing Room]

Seven was the last to the briefing room, having spent extra time reviewing data from sensors, desperate to find out what had caused their disastrous failure to exit the Void. They had been so close, but like a swimmer caught in a tide, they'd been sucked back in to the depths.

Since she'd been the one to suggest the escape attempt, Seven felt fully responsible for their failure and the resulting lack of power now.

The lights in the briefing room were set as low as possible without turning them off, adding to Seven's sense of shame as she entered. Wordlessly, she took a seat, avoiding eye contact though she kept her head high. It was a fallback for her, this pretense at indifference.

"I may be able to get the warp core back online," said B'Elanna, "but we still need deuterium to get our basic systems running."

Chakotay, who had not missed Seven's entrance or how she took a seat without really looking at anyone, filed that concern away for later and asked the important question. "How long will our reserves last?"

B'Elanna took a steadying breath. It wasn't good. "If we shut down life support on all but a few decks, deactivate astrometrics, turbolifts, ration replicator use, maybe a week."

Her statement left them in a desperate silence. A week. Half those things had already been done and still, so little time was predicted. They essentially had a week to live unless they could find an alternate source of fuel.

Neelix, naturally upbeat, was the first to recover. "I used to make a living scavenging for supplies. Let me take one of the shuttles. I might be able to find deuterium on one of those abandoned ships."

"The shuttle would be too easy a target," said Tuvok. Around him, the others nodded. They all knew there were other ships out there, circling. The sharks were swimming.

The decision was up to Janeway, who smiled at Neelix, but could not in good conscience let anyone go out alone. "We're safer if we stay together, but scavenging is a good idea if we come across something."

The mention of the shuttles gave Seven, who was good at seeing everything from foodstuffs to people as a resource, an idea. "The shuttles may be useful in another capacity. We could use their warp cores to augment power on Voyager."

Janeway considered this option more seriously. It went without saying that it wouldn't save them, but it would buy them some time.

"We're still going to need more deuterium," said Chakotay.

She was opposed to raiding other groups to extend their own lives, but Janeway was not against another option. "Then let's track down the ship that raided us and get back what they stole."

[Sickbay]

True to her word, Captain Janeway had set a course to retrieve their stolen property, but their efforts led to the pilfered and lifeless ship of their attackers. Luckily, the Starfleet personnel were not foolish enough to pass on by without taking a closer look and their reward was twofold.

With astrometrics shut down and short-range scans being reserved for security purposes, Seven was left with a bit of a void of her own. The result was an eagerness to join B'Elanna in examining the wreckage. Her instinct at least provided some excitement.

They beamed over a tricesium warp core casing, and a somewhat skittish stowaway, an unknown alien Seven and B'Elanna discovered in the cargo bay when looking over the casing.

With little else to do, Seven went with the alien she and B'Elanna discovered to sickbay and set herself up there with the intent of helping the Doctor try to figure out which species the creature could belong to. It wasn't often Seven was stumped, but she knew no Borg had stumbled across the Void or the alien's species before. As she examined the being critically, she wondered if it had developed exclusively within the Void.

"But if his species did evolve in here, how did the initial genetic material get in here?" asked the Doctor when Seven voiced her suggestion. The two of them had set the alien up in the surgical bay and given it a healthy serving of rations. It didn't seem to mind the bland taste, licking up the food with gusto.

"We will likely never know," said Seven. "The Void is naturally devoid of life and any being requiring oxygen would need a planet with atmosphere in order to evolve." She and the Doctor watched the alien licking its fingers from their spot behind the standing computer console. Despite the alien's mutism, he didn't seem wholly unfamiliar with technology or the sight of unfamiliar faces. "Perhaps his species were initially outside the Void and were drawn in as we were."

The Doctor shrugged. "It's as good a guess as any I suppose."

The Doctor and Seven turned slightly at the sound of the doors opening. Captain Janeway strode in. Like them all, she knew the ship well enough to walk with confidence in the reduced power and lighting, even the darkened sickbay. She stopped at the console the other two were at.

"I don't know what he is," the Doctor admitted, "but he doesn't seem particular about what we feed him."

Janeway looked closer through the reduced lighting, trying to make out what the grey-toned alien was eating out of his palms. "Is that leola root?"

"I wrestled with my conscience before giving it to him, I assure you," said the Doctor. He shrugged. "He just might be the only creature in the known universe who likes it."

Seven and Janeway smirked a little at the truth in that.

"I've tried communicating with him," the Doctor continued. "He doesn't appear to have any verbal skills and Seven can't find any trace of what he might be in the database."

Janeway glanced at Seven, who nodded in confirmation. "Do we know how he got on board?"

"I believe he was transported along with the core casing," said Seven. "We're trying to determine why we didn't detect him, but I suspect it is something in his biology we haven't encountered before." 

"How did he survive before we picked him up? That ship had no atmosphere left."

Forcing Seven to shuffle aside a bit, the Doctor pulled up a scan of the alien's body. "My scans show he can conserve oxygen. He has unusually large lung capacity, and…" They looked over at the clang of the bowl the alien had been fed from. "And a voracious appetite."

"Do you think that ship was his home?" Janeway asked, smiling as the alien held out the bowl. He might not have possessed vocal capabilities, but it was clear what he wanted.

"Maybe," said the Doctor.

Seven merely shrugged, thinking the alien's behaviour was not indicative of a violent scavenger like their attackers. She suspected he'd gotten aboard the other alien's ship the same way he'd made it onto Voyager.

"The real question now is what do we do with him?" said the Doctor. "We can't send him back. Despite his unique biology, he can't survive without oxygen indefinitely."

"We'll run scans for other members of his species," Janeway assured them, "but until we can find a safe place for him, let's make him as comfortable as possible."

The alien, realizing the initial bang of the empty bowl was insufficient to get what he wanted and he was being ignored, smashed it down on the bio bed again. He held out the dish.

As much out of pity as a desire to prevent him from throwing an all-out tantrum, Seven went to the replicator. "Computer, replicate a portion of nutritional supplements from my daily allotment."

Janeway smiled, but the Doctor looked less pleased at the unexpected kindness as Seven handed her lunch over to the alien. Janeway was, of course, delighted to see Seven demonstrating a sense of generosity that would have been completely absent only a few years before. The Doctor, however, was concerned. He knew Seven hadn't been regenerating recently. Even if she'd intended to regenerate to make up the time, her unit had been shut down to conserve power while in the Void and if she began missing meals on top of that, her health would decline. Still, he kept silent.

[Mess]

Dinner was a sombre, dark affair. Neelix and the rest of the crew were grateful for their diligence in keeping the aeroponics and hydroponics systems working, even if the primary item growing was leola root. With the need to conserve energy, everyone was being highly encouraged to eat rations and even more to eat the food reserves before they spoiled.

Chakotay and Seven entered the mess and sighed identical sighs of disappointment. They'd planned lasagna for that evening. Instead, they'd be choking down whatever Neelix had managed to put together.

"At least it is nutritious," said Seven. Chakotay raised his brows and even to Seven her words felt less like a consolation and more like a mother scolding her children. She grimaced, which at least made Chakotay smile.

"I suppose you're right."

Seven's stomach rumbled loud enough for Chakotay to hear.

"Well, I guess we know what your stomach thinks of the situation," said Chakotay with a chuckle.

"Very funny." Despite her embarrassed glance away, she smiled and led the way to the galley.

Neelix, though drooping a little at the lack of resources he'd come to enjoy, beamed when he saw the couple. He handed them their portions with cheer. "So, how are the wedding plans coming?"

"Everything is complete," said Seven with a glance at Chakotay. "However, with our current status, it will have to wait."

His whiskers drooped a little further at that information. "That's too bad, but I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time and then you two can make things official and throw the biggest party Voyager's ever seen."

"Thanks, Neelix." Chakotay took his ration with a smile and gestured to an empty table.

Seven ate more voraciously than normal. She hadn't eaten since lunch the day before, but tried to be subtle about it so Chakotay wouldn't notice. Less food compounded with no regeneration meant she could feel her body and mind beginning to lag, which was more important to keep from Chakotay. It wasn't much and wouldn't be noticeable to anyone besides her just yet, but she would need to be careful to keep her energy up the human way. She felt the difference in her energy almost as soon as the first spoonful of lunch hit her stomach.

Chakotay, who was distracted with trying to come up with a solution to their fuel problem, remembered something he'd had no other time to discuss with her. "It wasn't your fault, you know."

Seven looked up. Trying to be nonchalant about swallowing a too-big scoop of casserole.

"The debrief?"

She considered pretending she didn't understand what he was talking about. Of course, such a futile effort was beneath her. "I encouraged the attempt to leave, which has led to the loss of our deuterium."

Chakotay was shaking his head before she even finished. "You can't think like that. Those funnels are our only way out and we would have tried it with or without your endorsement."

Seven dipped her head. She knew that, but knowing didn't remove the guilt in the pit of her stomach. At least it was not the worst thing she'd ever done. Chakotay's hand covered Seven's. She forced herself to meet his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault. I promise." Though it wouldn't fix things, with a small smile, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a flattened blue bloom.

"Delphinium scaposum." Seven felt her lips tug upward.

"I replicated it before our attempt to escape and pressed it."

Seven took the bright blue flower, holding it up to the minimal light. It was still pretty, even pressed flat. Of course, she knew part of her appreciation for it was simply because it came from her fiancé.

Faced with such kind assertion, she had no choice to shuck off the gloom. Whether it was her fault or not, they were where they were and the only thing left to do was deal with it. His eyes were warm and calm as they observed her wrestle with this and herself.

Chakotay smiled as she gave a tiny sigh. She nodded to show she'd taken in his message. It was good enough for Chakotay for the moment, but he continued to think on it.

[Ready Room]

Janeway sat in practical darkness, reading by the light of a portable lamp when Chakotay entered. She looked up slowly, the exhaustion of late nights and no solutions creeping up on her.

"It looks like you could use a nap."

"I could, but I find it hard to sleep when we're stuck in a desert."

Chakotay smiled. "You know, deserts are actually teeming with life."

"I knew you were going to say something annoying." She sat back, rubbing her hands over her face in a vain effort to clear her eyes of their drowsiness. "So, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Nothing life altering." He placed a small container in front of her.

She looked at him, brows raised.

"Lunch." He then smiled to himself, thinking that between her and Seven, he could have a full-time job making sure they ate. Just because he hadn't commented on Seven's obvious appetite earlier, didn't mean he didn't notice it.

Janeway peeked inside the container. A smell like cooked broccoli and dirty socks hit her and she quickly closed the lid. "Thanks. I'll eat it later."

"Sorry. It was what Neelix was serving." He settled into the closest chair.

"Beggars can't be choosers." She sighed and looked more closely at him. He appeared almost as tired as she felt. "How about you? How are you and the rest of the crew doing?"

"They're strained. It's hard to stay positive when you're basically a goldfish in a bowl."

"True, but maybe we should think of—"

The door opened, allowing Tuvok entrance. While barging into her office was generally frowned on, Janeway knew her security officer wouldn't bother her if he didn't have a very good reason.

"What is it, Tuvok?"

"We have discovered who has our deuterium." His expression was passive as ever, but he turned his body sideways, his general signal that he expected the Captain to hurry back to her post. 

[Bridge]

Janeway pulled up short, Chakotay right on her heels. On the main screen was Valen. He wasn't smirking per se, but she could sense his smugness coming through the video.

"I knew I'd see you again, Captain. I expect you've reconsidered my proposal." 

"No, we're not here to trade." She faced the screen as Chakotay quickly took his seat and looked over the data from sensors. "We're here to take back what belongs to us."

"I don't know what you mean," he said, not really expecting them to believe his obvious lie. 

"Our scans indicate you've got some of our food, one of our consoles and a large quantity of our deuterium," said Chakotay. 

"We didn't take any of that from you."

It might have been easier to believe if he didn't look so smug about his wordplay. "No," said Janeway. "No, you didn't, but apparently you killed the crew of another ship and took it from them. We want it back." 

Valen gave a shake of his head. "That's not the way things work here." 

"Either you give it back, or we'll take it." 

Tom, who had been quietly keeping tabs on Valen's ship in case they needed to make a quick getaway, noticed an energy change. "He's powering his engines."

"Target his shields and fire. Lock onto whatever belongs to us and transport it to the cargo bay."

Harry nodded when it was done. "Got it, but it's not everything we lost."

"Good enough. Get us out of here, Tom."

[Chakotay's Quarters]

"The Captain is irrationally optimistic," said Seven. She wasn't upset or haughty, just stating a fact.

Chakotay silently agreed, but could do little more than sigh. He plopped down on the couch next to Seven. "She's convinced that if we offer our resources and encourage others to do the same, they'll realize the benefit of working in a collective."

Smirking at his choice of words, Seven leaned against her fiancé, taking simple comfort in their closeness. Next to her on the side table was the blue desert flower he'd given her. She'd taken the time to put it between glass and in a frame, making it one of the few knickknacks in her possession.

"In theory, it could work." Stranger things had happened.

"Her basis is sound, but it may be more difficult than she realizes to adhere so strictly to Starfleet principles."

"You're thinking of Valen?"

She nodded. "Even if we do not resort to his methods, we will have to work with others who will be more inclined to his way of thinking, probably who have committed raids themselves." She thought a moment. "No doubt an encounter with Valen and any of his own allies will occur sooner rather than later. If that happens, we may have to decide which Starfleet rules need to be ignored for our own survival."

"Probably." He smirked as she hid a yawn behind her hand. "Am I keeping you away from your beauty sleep?"

Seven nodded, yawning again. "It's been a long day."

Realization hit him with a jolt. "How long has it been since you regenerated?"

"Not long."

"Seven…"

"I will be fine, Chakotay."

He looked as closely at her as he could through the low light. "Are you sure? We can start your unit up if you need to."

Seven was already shaking her head. "There is no need. I am more tired than normal, but it will be manageable for the foreseeable future."

He continued to worry, but didn't comment. Seven, of course, was not foolish enough to believe that would mean it was the end of it.

"I will keep the Doctor apprised."

"Fine." He supposed it was all he could ask for. Still, he worried.

[Briefing Room]

Garon had never been considered a liberal captain, but he had always been fair. Never fanciful, never anything but straightforward, Garon had served the Nygean government as a scientific and military leader for many years prior to being pulled into the Void. During his career, he'd learned to be cautious as well as to value working with others. The two principles didn't always fit together. In the Void, only one principle won out, until Voyager.

"We almost escaped the Void on our own," said Janeway. "If we work together, I believe we'll succeed."

"How many ships do you have in this Alliance?" 

Janeway hesitated, barely resisting the urge to fidget nervously. "You'd be the first."

Garon started to frown, but before Janeway or Chakotay could jump to their own defence, Neelix raised a hand.

"Technically, Captain, that's not correct. I consider myself the first member of the Captain's coalition. Six years ago, I offered her my services and the resources of my ship, and she's never failed to help me when I needed her."

"It's a noble idea," said Garon, accepting this information without showing his thoughts either way, "Captain, but good intentions are like deuterium reserves. They tend to get lost in the Void." Garon, though he spoke rationally and firmly, was not like Valen. He looked with some pity on the Starfleet crew, wondering how long they would survive, wondering if the ideal would die before the crew or the other way around.

"All I ask is that you consider our proposal," said Janeway, doing her best not to show disappointment. In truth, she'd hoped naively for an immediate acceptance.

Garon didn't need to think too hard to promise he would at least consider it. "I will."

Though she would later assure others that she'd acted as well as the best poker player, keeping her intentions and emotions hidden, it was clear how relieved Janeway was to hear something other than an instant dismissal even if she had dearly hoped for more. She responded a bit more enthusiastically as a result. "In the meantime, we'd like to offer you food and medical supplies." 

"What do you expect in return?"

"Nothing. Compliments of the Alliance."

 _This poor fool won't last two days_ , thought Garon. It was more an amused thought than a condemnation of the human's style. Yes, he would definitely consider their proposal.

[Engineering]

Chakotay and Janeway helped the Nygean captain and one of his crew with a list of items they desperately needed to fix their ship.

Food and medical supplies were already set aside, but Garon was more concerned about damages his ship endured fighting off the vultures who would have picked him and his crew clean. He described to Chakotay the attack that had damaged some of their life support systems and sensor array.

"Sounds like you've had quite the rough time in here," said Chakotay. He scanned one of the tools Garon handed him, cataloguing it. A glance over at Janeway proved she was less than meticulous in keeping track of what was going to the Nygeans.

Garon shrugged. "No worse than anyone else. At least we are alive. We've had to scavenge a great deal," he eyed Chakotay, looking for judgement, "but so far we've avoided attacking others."

Chakotay nodded, but didn't comment. He wouldn't have judged too harshly even if Garon confessed to something more heartless. When he was a Maquis captain, equally questionable choices had been made.

"Captain." The Nygean crewman came over, holding something in his hands. "This."

Garon took the item and held it up for Chakotay to see. "A phase compensator."

"You need it for your sensor array?" Chakotay asked. Garon nodded. Chakotay scanned it, noting which section of Voyager it belonged to. He'd have to let Seven know. "I'll add it to the list."

"We lost fourteen men in our first week here." Garon said it suddenly, as though needing to explain to someone why he'd become who he was.

Chakotay glanced at Garon, who smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. That can't have been easy."

"I know this place doesn't seem very dangerous, but you—" Garon glanced at Janeway, who seemed to be trying to give away half of Voyager. "You and your captain need to know your own limits. No matter what, your own people need to come first."

"Don't worry," said Chakotay, sparing a glance at Janeway as well. "It's a fine line between being noble and being stupid, but we seem to have gotten pretty good at walking it."

"Chakotay, I—" Seven, who had simply heard his voice and come to discuss some ideas for more efficient uses of resources, noticed Garon. "Excuse me, I didn't realize you had company."

Chakotay smiled and reached a hand around her waist to pull her close. "Not at all. Captain Garon, please let me introduce you to my fiancé, Seven of Nine."

Garon, who had little to no experience with the Borg, spared only a curious glance at the blonde's metal implants. He nodded politely, showing only a bit of surprise at their intimacy. Fascinated, he watched a little closer than was polite as the two spoke quietly.

Seven noticed Captain Garon's watchful gaze and made their discussion shorter than she otherwise would have, uncertain what his interest meant.

For his part, Garon didn't realize he was being impolite or paying more attention to the simple exchange than normal. Later, as he looked over the supplies the Voyager crew donated to his people, Garon would be able to define his fascination.

Though his crew had not spent the most time in the anomaly, they had been in there long enough that he'd almost forgot what tenderness was, what it looked like, what it felt like. He was a married man with his wife hopefully waiting home for him. Until that moment, he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be close to a loved one, forgotten that others felt the same longing as he did.

[Corridor]

Seven had been assisting engineering as much as possible, even given some time to aeroponics in an attempt to make the systems more efficient.

It was the lightest workload she'd ever had and yet she could feel her body protesting it. It was lack of regeneration. She'd pushed it aside in favour of sleep, staying with Chakotay during the night even before the Void. Sleep was all well and good, but her Borg components were now suffering. It was not so bad yet, but a trip to sickbay was warranted if only to find out what the totality of the effects were.

Opera music greeted her as Seven entered the darkened sickbay. It distracted her from her original purpose, that and the way the Doctor hovered near their alien guest.

"How is he?"

"Much better." The Doctor paid her little attention, inputting information into a PADD. "He seemed to relax when he heard me humming an aria from Rigoletto, so I had the computer play the full orchestral version. Fantome seems to be a music lover."

"Fantome?" Her brows rose near to her hairline.

"After the Phantom of the Opera, a tormented character who was soothed by music." 

She knew that. Her incredulity was for other reasons. "In six years you haven't chosen a name for yourself, but you've given Fantome one in a few days."

Finally catching her tone and the reason for it, the Doctor grew slightly defensive. "Choosing the right name for myself is extremely difficult. I'm a complex individual."

She smirked. It was just typical that the EMH would think himself more complex than a living creature. "And Fantome isn't?" 

"On the contrary. I believe he's quite intelligent, and his physiology is very sophisticated. Did you know he has the ability to refract his own lifesigns?"

 _Interesting._ "That would explain why our sensors didn't detect him. I wonder if his species always had that ability or if they developed it here." 

"Could be either." He sighed. "I wish we could find a way to communicate with him. I suspect he'd have a lot to tell us."

It took less than a second for Seven to see what the EMH had not. She stopped the music.

"Hey! We were enjoying that."

Seven rolled her eyes. "Exactly. He may not be able to speak but he can hear."

"Well, yes, but…"

Seven held up a bowl from the alien's lunch and pressed a command to play a simple tone as she did. A glance showed the alien, or Fantome, was paying rapt attention. She held up a scanner and played a different tone.

Fantome, though as mute as ever, drew close to the console Seven stood at. His eyes, which were glittering with intelligence and curiosity now, watched Seven like a dog waiting for a treat.

Seven played one of the chords.

Fantome held up the bowl.

Seven played the other.

Fantome held up the scanner.

"Remarkable," said the Doctor, watching the process with fascination.

"Hardly. It's rudimentary auditory association."

Fantome held up a spoon.

Obligingly, Seven played a tone and then another and another as Fantome continued picking up items.

"He understands."

"So it would seem." She began playing random chords.

"What are you doing?"

"Testing his capacity for memory." That was the real test of skill and intelligence. She watched in growing interest as the alien held up every item she'd played a corresponding tone for. He even held them up in correct order. She tried a few more items and played the sounds she assigned them out of order. Fantome performed perfectly. "Impressive."

As they continued the process of assigning sounds to items and testing the limits of Fantome, Seven pushed her reason for attending sickbay to the back of her mind.

[Bridge]

Harry had been schooled by Seven on just what to look for, which meant he was able to warn Captain Janeway in time for Voyager to head towards the whirling change in the Void.

"Charge weapons. Shields to full." Janeway glanced over at Harry. "How long until the funnel opens?"

"Two point one seconds."

"Has it pulled in a new vessel?"

"Yes."

Chakotay and Janeway shared a concerned look and a sigh. They didn't need Tuvok's next words to know what would happen next.

"Two warships are approaching it." Tuvok almost sounded exasperated. "One of them is Valen's."

They watched as Valen's ship fired on the newcomer.

"Target Valen's weapons, and hail him." She didn't really believe she'd be able to talk the hardened raider out of his attack, but she hoped distracting him would give the other ship time to gather their bearings and put up their own defences.

Valen's angry visage filled the screen. "My fight's not with you, Captain."

Janeway, though sometimes naïve, was not stupid enough to think he wouldn't turn on her as soon as he believed he could win without losing too many resources. "Then stand down."

"This new ship has impressive technology," said Valen, changing tactic. "We can share it."

"I thought I made myself clear. We're not going to attack others and I'm not here to divide the spoils." 

"Then you and your crew are already dead."

"They're just some people in a bad situation, like the rest of us. If we work together—"

Valen waved an impatient hand, cutting her off. "Save your speeches. I've got a crew to feed." 

Chakotay shook his head at the other man's stubbornness and yet was unsurprised. "He's targeting our shields."

"Take his weapons out. Hail the new ship."

A squat, round-faced alien Janeway recognized as a male – or she assumed it was a male since she'd never seen a female – member of the Hierarchy, appeared on screen. "I surrender!"

Janeway almost laughed. "We're here to help you. Can you target the smaller warship?"

The alien, Loquar, shook his head, panicking. They had weapons, but were terribly outmatched even with the smaller ships. "We're a survey vessel. We're not equipped to fight." 

From what she knew of them, it would have been unusual for the Hierarchy to fit a survey vessel with major weaponry. Her request had been made out of habit and hope. It appeared they were on their own then.

"Shields on Valen's lead ship are holding at eighty percent," said Tuvok. "It appears he's upgraded them since we last met." He wasn't the only one who wondered how many vessels Valen had plundered to do so. 

"How are our shields, Tuvok?"

"Thirty percent. We should retreat, Captain." 

Tom, still dodging Valen's weapons as best he could, saw something even more concerning. "There's another ship approaching." 

Chakotay shook his head, looking over the data being streamed to him by Tuvok, engineering, and Harry at Ops. "We can't defend ourselves against three ships."

"We may not have to," said Tuvok. "The third vessel belongs to Mr. Garon. He's firing at the other two. Valen's shields are down. The smaller ship is leaking plasma."

Tom's relief was palpable. "They're both retreating."

"Garon's hailing," said Harry. 

Janeway, who had not ignored the warnings of Tuvok or Chakotay, narrowed her eyes at the newcomers. "Get a weapons lock on him. We've been fooled by unexpected allies before."

Garon appeared on the screen. "Why are you targeting me?"

"Because I don't know what your intentions are."

"Haven't I just made them clear?" Garon asked, smiling despite the seriousness of the situation. He was, in fact, glad to see Janeway was not as green as he'd first believed her to be. "I've decided to accept your offer."

[Mess]

Though the mechanics were simple, Seven was glad to be of use as she utilized the Hierarchy's technology to augment Voyager's replicators. She kneeled at the unit closest to the main door of the mess. The access panel to the replicator's insides was off, exposing a nest of wiring.

The Hierarchy, like Borg or Ferengi, were obsessed with getting as much as they could from whatever resources they had. As a result, they had put a lot more emphasis on energy conservation than many of their counterparts.

"How long do you think it will take?" Neelix stood behind Seven, wringing his hands as he watched her work.

"Not long." Seven answered levelly, without the sigh of irritation she felt at the question.

"The lunch rush will be soon."

"Then it is a good thing I am making these upgrades."

"And it will really triple our output?"

"That is Lt. Torres' calculation."

"Hmm." He rubbed his chin. "Well, I'll still start cooking something in case you're not quite done by lunch."

Seven didn't think it was necessary, but refrained from discouraging him since it would keep him busy and out of her hair for a bit.

It took the better part of an hour, but even so it was in plenty of time to beat the flood of people Neelix worried over.

"There." Seven clicked the panel back in place and stood. Her knees shook and she quickly sat down at a table, hoping the tingling in her legs would dissipate soon.

"All done?" Neelix came over, wiping his hands on a rag.

"Yes." She rubbed her knee absently. "I will begin on the other replicator momentarily."

"Oh, all right." Neelix sat down next to her. "Your leg fall asleep?"

Seven raised a questioning brow.

"It's when you sit too long in one position and the blood is cut off. When you move, your leg feels tingly."

"Then you are correct, they have fallen asleep." She sighed, more tired than she was used to. "How long until they wake up?"

Neelix laughed. "Just until the blood flow is back to normal."

Seven nodded. They sat a moment, each enjoying a moment off their feet, when Neelix suddenly slapped his thigh.

"Seven, I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"I entirely forgot what day it is."

Seven stared at him, the brow replaced by her optical implant raised as she awaited an explanation.

"Your wedding?"

"Oh." In all the stress and trouble, she'd forgotten to think of what plans had been waylaid by their predicament.

"Don't tell me you forgot." He smiled, knowing that ws just what happened.

"It didn't seem as important as not starving to death."

"Well, that's true, but it doesn't mean we should forget about it entirely."

Seven shook her head. "I am afraid it will have to wait."

"You know, there's nothing that says it has to be elaborate."

"What happened to your plans for the biggest party Voyager's ever had?" she asked, smirking.

"Oh, well," Neelix fidgeted, "I suppose I was a little overzealous. We can do the party on a low budget."

"Be that as it may, there doesn't appear to be sufficient time." Even if they eloped like B'Elanna and Tom, there didn't seem so much as an hour to get the necessary people together in a room. Hesitatingly, she admitted the most important reason for her to push the wedding back rather than embrace their circumstances. "Commander Chakotay has been through a lot over the years."

"Yes," Neelix watched her with his usual kindness, "he has."

"He deserves a perfect wedding." If she were totally honest, she was surprised and still disbelieving that such a moment might have her in it. "If that requires a delay, it is acceptable."

"Well, fine." Neelix patted her leg. "But remember that his perfect wedding is more about who it's with, not location or flowers or food."

[Mess]

Janeway was hosting yet more prospective alliance members, the numbers exceeding even her expectations thanks to the benefits they'd already received. The Hierarchy members were not fighters, but they were clever and could give even the Borg a run for their money with regards to efficiency. Garon too had made sure to return Voyager's generosity in full. Their enthusiasm, however, was not as contagious as she hoped.

Commander Bosaal was an older man and rather difficult. Janeway suspected he would have been prone to raiding other ships even outside the Void. She hadn't initially liked the man, but she couldn't put a finger on why. He was a typical humanoid male, his distinguishing feature being a single and quite prominent ridge from the top of his head down his throat. He was not necessarily menacing to look at and yet she was reminded of Valen when talking to him. However, she needed as many people on her side as she could get. It only briefly occurred to her that by working with him, she would be condoning his past actions.

Despite being somewhat suspicious and cantankerous, Bosaal seemed to be coming around. His interest in their replicator technology was obvious. A little older than the other members of the alliance, Janeway set aside her worries and hoped his experience would add to their skillset.

"So, as I was saying, our hydroponics and aeroponics—"

"What's that parasite doing aboard your ship?"

Janeway looked over, confused by the sudden aggression in Bosaal. Fantome and the EMH had entered, the duo seeming to talk to one another through the PADD's they carried. She could see nothing to be angry about.

At the sound of Bosaal's voice, Fantome ducked behind the EHM.

"I beg your pardon?"

Bosaal didn't take his eyes off the other alien. Disgust and disdain consumed him. "They're vermin."

"I don't know who you are, sir," said the Doctor with a haughtiness only he could project, "but your choice of words is offensive."

"What is offensive is the way they slip aboard during transport, hide in conduits, steal food, spread disease."

"Fantome is perfectly healthy, and unlike some people in this Void, he hasn't stolen anything." The Doctor glared at Bosaal, who glared back.

"If my sensors could detect where they are on my ship, I'd exterminate them," he said to Janeway. "I suggest you do the same."

"Captain, this is outrageous!" The Doctor turned to Janeway, surprised she'd not interrupted already at the suggestion at genocide.

"Doctor," she warned. Distasteful as Bosaal's prejudice was, it occurred to her that this was something she could offer the potential alliance member. She turned to Bosaal. "One of the principles of our Alliance is that we don't discriminate. Everyone's welcome as long as they follow the rules, but if you're having a bad experience with the members of this species on your ship, I'd be happy to bring them to Voyager."

He scoffed. "If you could find them."

"I'm sure it will be no problem." She turned to the Doctor, indicating he should follow her out. He did so obediently, sensing the mess would not become a friendlier place any time soon. Before they made it to the door, Janeway muttered to him. "Please tell me this is something we can do."

The Doctor hesitated. "I just analyzed Fantome's biology. You'll have to talk to Seven about the rest."

"Where is she?"

[Astrometrics]

Seven was torn. On the one hand, she was glad to have her post up and running again. It made her feel useful and safe. Astrometrics had long ago become a sanctuary to her. On the other hand, she hated being inefficient. Waste of any sort was troublesome, especially in the Void. Astrometrics, for all its uses in normal space, was a waste in the Void. And yet astrometrics was the only place with the access to fulfill the Captain's request.

"Anything?"

Seven restrained a sigh at the Doctor's question, which had been repeated several times in the last few minutes. "Not yet."

"What if those horrible people find them before we do?"

"Then they can advise us how to speed up the process."

"Seven!"

"Doctor." She smirked as he rolled his eyes at her. "I am working as quickly as possible with the information you provided me. We will find them."

"Fine." He sighed and watched her work, which didn't make her feel much better. At least he was quiet.

It took a few minutes, but Seven did eventually find something promising. "I have located one."

The Doctor was instantly at her elbow. "Where?"

"Commander Bosaal's ship." She widened her search as she did, her smirk reappeared. Given Fantome's ravenous appetite, she could understand now why Bosaal hated them so much. "It appears he has two individuals matching Fantome's biology onboard."

"Can we get a transporter lock?"

Seven nodded, already sending the information to the transporter room as she moved on to the other ships in their vicinity.

"You know, with new members of Fantome's species here, we can probably teach them to communicate with us as well."

She bobbed her head. The idea had occurred to Seven as well. "If Fantome's intelligence is typical of their species, such an endeavour will not be difficult. They may be able to provide us with intelligence on other ships in the Void."

"Well, I hadn't thought so much along those lines, but I suppose so."

Seven pressed her lips closed. No doubt he had envisioned a new troop of musicians and students under his wing. He would not have considered their strategic value to Voyager. His mind simply didn't work that way.

After scanning as far as she could and locating a handful of the aliens, Seven and the Doctor headed for sickbay to greet their guests. Seven left astrometrics only partly shut down, expecting they'd need it again soon.

Not long after she left, two members of the Hierarchy lumbered down the hall. Their physiology was not conducive to sneaking around, but their technology more than made up for it. Their furtive glances were unnecessary, their handheld scanners telling them all they needed to know about the whereabouts of people on that level.

The men timed their approach so that the crewman walking the hall was out of sight before they ducked from the side corridor and into astrometrics.

"How complex do you think their security is?"

Loquar shook his head. "No more than anyone else. I can do it."

"Which ship should we test our program on?"

"We'll start with Voyager and then Garen – no, Bosaal's. I don't trust him."

[Bridge]

Tuvok was the kind of person who could do a lot without much effort. He coordinated the usual shifts of security, set up additional teams to monitor their guests, and took note of Seven's report on the stowaway's they'd absorbed into the fold. He was glad to note that the unnamed aliens were not posing any problems. He even trusted her assessment enough that he took her suggestion to reassign the security at sickbay to other tasks. His team was stretched thin so this was good news.

An alert beeped at him.

A quick check of the ship showed there were no spare personnel to check out the cause of the alert. Tuvok advised Ensign Kim that he was in charge while Tuvok was gone. He then headed to astrometrics.

[Astrometrics]

Tuvok stepped inside and observed a moment, the two intruders too wrapped up in watching Janeway, Galen, and B'Elanna in engineering to notice Tuvok's entrance. He raised a brow, impressed with how they had clearly hacked into Voyager's security systems and used the internal sensors to produce a recording of the conversation.

Galen explained, unaware of being overheard, how he and B'Elanna were attempting to produce a shield that would protect all the alliance ships. It was one of the ideas that had come up for their next attempt to exit the Void. Unfortunately, there was too much gravitational stress for things the way they were.

"Wouldn't a polaron modulator be able to do that?" asked Janeway.

B'Elanna nodded. "Unfortunately, nobody in the Alliance has one. We've been trying to build our own, but so far…"

"Maybe we could trade for one."

Tuvok had seen enough. "You are not authorised to be in here."

Though he knew himself to be in the wrong according to the rules these humans set out, Loquar was defensive. Why didn't they understand the importance of intel? "We're making a valuable contribution to the Alliance."

"By spying on restricted meetings?"

"We've devised a new surveillance technique." Loquar just didn't understand these humans and their aversion to his people's technology. However, he knew no one liked spies unless they were doing the spying so he let it go.

Tuvok took a closer look at what they'd done. Despite the insult, he was impressed by their work. "You've bypassed my security measures." It wasn't a question.

"Using your sensors, we can observe activity on any ship in the Void without being detected." He tapped the controls to bring up a new image, this time of a cargo hold on a darkened ship.

"What is this?"

"This is the cargo hold of the Jelinian freighter. Now, if I'm not mistaken, the Jelinians are a member of our Alliance." 

Tuvok raised a brow at Loquar's smugness. "Which is why you shouldn't be spying on them."

"And why they shouldn't be hoarding their ale."

Not really having an adequate reply to this information, Tuvok could only shake his head and direct their attention to a more productive area. "You said this can observe any ship in the Void?"

[Sickbay]

The aliens proved even more teachable than expected. Seven and the Doctor barely had to do more than provide the tools before the stowaways were conversing as quickly as any vocal species. Seven and the Doctor even marvelled at their eagerness. No prompting was necessary. Fantome began showing them which sounds he'd learned to associate with objects as soon as they were within hearing range.

"How long until you think they develop a complete language?" the Doctor asked. He finished scanning the health of their last guest, releasing it to join the others.

Seven stood to the side, watching with a tiny smile. "It would depend on your definition of a complete language."

The Doctor glanced at the computer program she had running to analyse the evolution of the communications. She was right. In less than an hour, the group had evolved beyond what Seven and the Doctor initially showed Fantome. The only way to keep track of what the aliens were discussing was with the help of a computer or a computer-like brain.

One of the aliens – a female – approached and, using a series of bleeps on the PADD, asked Seven why they were on the ship.

Seven typed out a quick response, explaining that Captain Janeway wished to give them sanctuary on Voyager. The exact translation was closer to "Ship leader give you food, bed here."

The alien quirked her head, the others behind her doing the same. They had never been welcomed anywhere. Even more than spoken language, sanctuary was a foreign concept to them.

The Doctor took up his own PADD and asked where they were from.

The aliens all started answering at once, describing the various ships they'd been on. It was a jumbled mess of descriptions. The only consistency was that they were all born in the Void.

The question and following descriptions naturally led the aliens to compare notes on the various ships they'd been on. Seven and the Doctor sat back and watched.

Seven, who had forgotten but not overcome the effects of no regeneration, felt the tiredness seeping up again. She was on her feet all day everyday, which didn't help. Still, she didn't want to interrupt the alien's conversation and the EMH was wholly absorbed in it. To relieve her sore feet and shaky legs, she leaned against the console.

The doors to sickbay opened and Janeway entered. She stopped and listened raptly to the conversation. It had reached its head, every alien adding their own voice to the concerto. It was a testament to how much information their brains could absorb, sort and register at once that they could hold such a conversation. It sounded rehearsed.

Fantome noticed Janeway and quickly signalled the others that the ship's leader was there, causing them to wrap up their conversation.

The music stopped and Janeway applauded. "Lovely piece." She glanced at the Doctor. "Did they compose it, or did you?"

"They did. Though strictly speaking, it's not a composition. It's more of a conversation."

"I'm impressed." 

"I wish I could take credit but it was Fantome who taught the others in a fraction of the time it took him to learn. They're a highly intelligent species."

Seven, still smiling softly as the aliens listened with wide eyes to the human's conversation, nodded. "The language is already developing its own grammar and syntax."

"That suggests they have a language of their own."

"Most likely."

"Mmm hmm," the Doctor agreed. "It could be telepathic, but they seem just as comfortable communicating with music now."

"Given their conversation just now," said Seven, "I would guess they are not often together."

"I wouldn't think so if they want to remain undetected." Janeway looked more closely at their unique appearance. "Could their species be native to the Void?"

"It's certainly possible," said the Doctor. "They told us they were born here."

"Just when you think nothing in the galaxy can surprise you anymore."

Seven raised a brow.

It was then that Janeway noticed Seven leaning heavily on the console. For anyone else, it wouldn't mean much, but Seven didn't lean. "Seven, are you—"

The comm. system beeped and B'Elanna's voice interrupted. "Captain Janeway, please report to engineering."

Janeway tapped her badge with a sigh. She'd been running around the ship a lot lately. "On my way."

"We'll keep you apprised of any developments," said the Doctor with a nod to Fantome and the other aliens.

"Thanks." She hesitated and then glanced at Seven. "Make sure you take care of yourself too, Seven."

The doors closed behind her and the Doctor faced Seven. "Take care of yourself?"

"I have been feeling more tired than usual," she explained.

The Doctor finally realized she wasn't standing in her usual ramrod-straight position. "Why didn't you say something?" He took out his tricorder and ran it up and down.

"I intended to." She nodded to the aliens, who were conversing again. "We were distracted."

He tsked at her, but obligingly led her to a spare bed. A moment later and his face collapsed into a worried frown.

"What is it?"

"Your nanoprobes are down another 5%."

That wasn't good, but she didn't think it was so bad.

"Have you been skipping more meals?"

"Not intentionally."

"But you have."

Seven was silent.

"I suppose your schedule has been too hectic?" He folded his arms, staring her down. "How much work have you been doing?"

She really didn't want to answer that. Now that she thought about it, her workload was relatively light, but jumping between sections of the ship meant her days were actually longer. Besides, Chakotay was working long hours and she just didn't want to sit alone or sleep alone in their quarters. She ducked her head guiltily.

"Uh-huh." The Doctor scanned her a last time. "Your implants aren't degrading too much yet, but I'm afraid your lack of energy is just the beginning. If you keep pushing it without regeneration, it won't be long until you have to be on full bed rest."

This scared her more than anything else he could have said. "How long?"

"I'd estimate less than a week." He scowled at her. "Rest. Eat. Less work. Understand?"

She sighed, but nodded and moved to leave. She did, after all, have other work to complete.

"Oh, and Seven?"

She turned to face him.

"I mean it. If you don't sleep more and take care of yourself, I'll enlist the help of your fiancé."

Though she took this threat seriously, it made her smile. There was no doubt she'd be put on complete bed rest if she didn't slow the deterioration of her Borg components. That was serious. What made her smile was the teasing way he referred to Chakotay. Small though it was, it showed how far he'd come to accepting her relationship and she hoped it signalled the end of any discomfort with the EMH.

[Chakotay's Bedroom]

"The Jelinians and the Kraylor left with Bosaal."

"Good."

He paused in the middle of taking off his socks and turned to his bedmate, brows raised.

"They caused more problems than they solved." Seven sighed, turning on her side to face Chakotay. Watching him putter about and get ready for bed was somehow relaxing.

"You didn't like Bosaal." He tossed his socks to the side with his boots. He could sense Seven's disapproval behind him, but he would deal with his clothes tomorrow when he'd had some rest. It was all he could do to not fall into bed as he was.

"No, I did not."

"Seems like no one did, but the loss of three ships from our alliance is a blow."

"Maybe. Maybe not. It was clear he was not the type to adhere to Starfleet principles any more than Valen. His attack on the Kinjal is unfortunate, but unsurprising. We will adapt without him."

He shucked off all but his boxers. Good enough. He fell into bed next to Seven with a tired sigh. Closing his eyes, not even bothering to move under the covers yet, Chakotay lay quiet for a long moment. Just before he was asleep, his consciousness hazy and prone to say whatever came to mind, he asked what had bothered him since Janeway started the idea of an alliance. "What if we can't adapt?"

"We must, or we will perish." Seven, smiling indulgently, leaned over and pulled the covers, pushing and prodding Chakotay's sleepy body until he was under the blankets. She cuddled close, his arm automatically going around her. "Don't worry, darling, Captain Janeway and the crew has yet to let us down."

Caught between sleep and the barest of wakefulness, Chakotay smiled. "That's the first time you called me that."

"And?"

"I like it… darling."

Smiling herself, Seven finally settled down and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning was only slightly less strained than the night that preceded it.

Chakotay woke first, his memory of the previous day's events barrelling down on him instantly. He'd put on a brave face for Janeway the day before, going into counsellor mode so she could work through her anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. With Seven, he'd become the one seeking support, a relief he was fast growing to appreciate and rely on. It was a new sensation, one he enjoyed. Unfortunately, with the continuance of their entrapment, momentary relief was just, well, fleeting.

Chakotay glanced down at Seven's sleeping form. That she was still asleep was unusual, that she didn't stir at all upon him sitting up was a sign something was wrong.

"What?" Seven didn't open her eyes, but mumbled her complaint when he poked her shoulder.

"I wanted to make sure you were still alive."

"Hmmph."

He smirked as she remained immobile. Finally, he realized a bit more prodding would be necessary. "Aren't you going to work at all today?"

"Mmm."

"Are you all right?" He leaned over so he could see her face. She looked fine, but it was hard to tell anything while she scrunched away from him, burying herself deeper under the covers. "Seven?"

"I am just tired."

"I've never seen you this tired. What were you doing yesterday?"

Seven smiled and forced herself to wake a little to answer him. "Nothing unusual." She sighed. "The lack of regeneration is starting to affect my energy levels."

There was really only one solution if she really was suffering. "We'll reactivate your alcove."

Seven shook her head. "That is not necessary."

He frowned.

"I told you I would keep the Doctor apprised and I have. There is nothing to be concerned about."

"Uh-huh. Do I need to check with the Doctor to make sure you're being honest?"

Seven rolled her eyes. "He said I need to rest more."

"That's it?"

"Until we escape the Void and can reactivate my alcove, it's all I can do."

Chakotay thought a moment. "Fine then."

"What are you doing?" Seven watched as he scooped up his badge with the determination of one who had the upper hand and was damn well going to use it.

He gave her a warning look before pressing the badge. "Chakotay to Lt. Torres."

B'Elanna's voice, already awake and alert, answered. "Torres here. What's up, Chakotay?"

"Seven is going to be a little late for her shift today. I'll adjust the schedule accordingly."

"Umm, that's probably not necessary, Chakotay. According to my records, Seven's been working overtime since we got here."

Seven pulled the covers up over her nose to hide her smirk as Chakotay turned an outright glare at her.

The sound of beeps came over the comm. as B'Elanna checked the computer. "Engineering is fully staffed today and from what I can see, Seven has about 273 hours of recreational time earned over the last two months."

Chakotay was definitely glaring now. "Okay. Thank you."

Seven shuffled down until she was fully shielded from Chakotay's gaze. A second later, the mattress creaked, sloping down to his larger body. Seven tightened her grip on the blankets. His larger hand wrapped around the covers and yanked, pulling Seven up along with the fabric. Seven smiled sheepishly as she came face-to-face with her fiancé.

"You're taking the day, the whole day, do you understand?" he said, using his most commanding tone. It was the assertive voice that had led his Maquis ship and crew through numerous battles and also disciplined countless overzealous or outright stupid crewmembers.

Seven hesitated.

"I'm not kidding, Seven."

"I know, but there are still tasks I can complete outside of engineering."

His eyes narrowed.

"It wouldn't be overtaxing."

"You've got two hours to finish whatever you have to."

"That is insufficient. In order to function in the Void, you will need all members working their regular shifts at least."

"A shift minus two hours."

She contemplated debating it with him, but knew by the set of his jaw that arguing would be futile. "Fine."

"And you'll take your breaks."

"If you take yours with me."

"Fine."

"Fine." They stared each other down for a long moment. Seven broke the showdown first. "Was that a fight?"

By pure determination, Chakotay kept his face straight. "Could be. What would the result be if it was?"

Seven's seriousness melted into a sensuous grin.

[Astrometrics]

Janeway was on edge, regardless of whether or not she'd had to forego her usual coffee. As the hours progressed, news of more and more dissention in the ranks reached her ears. No one else had outright left the alliance, but she sensed it was just a matter of time.

She entered astrometrics with a sigh before putting on her best face. Loquar and Lt. Tuvok were there, looking grim. "Good news, I hope." 

Tuvok, however, had no good news and was never one to beat around the bush. "It appears Commander Bosaal is attempting to form an alliance of his own with one of our adversaries."

"Great."

Loquar gestured to the computer, which he'd modified to conduct his intelligence gathering full time. "We recorded a tactical conversation that took place between the two just a few minutes ago."

Though it was the last thing she wanted to see, Janeway nodded for them to bring it up. A few quick commands and the large screen showed the familiar, cold face of Valen and Bosaal. Janeway felt her stomach drop to see the two together, but it was not a surprise.

Valen, unaware of being watched, warned his new cohort. "Don't underestimate Janeway. I've been in battle with her twice." 

"Then you know Janeway's tactics. I have two other ships," said Bosaal. "We can take Voyager's food and weapons if we work together."

Tuvok turned off the recording, not needing Janeway to see all of it. "The rest of their conversation suggests they will attack within the next forty-eight hours."

Janeway sighed. "I'm so glad we taught them the value of cooperation." 

"Our power reserves will be severely depleted if we're forced to defend ourselves. With more in our alliance, we are already running low on resources." 

"Fine. Tell B'Elanna we don't have time to test her modulator. We've got to try to escape now."

[Bridge]

Harry leaned over his console, his face grave. This was it, their moment where they would either escape or be doomed. Though the information had come in almost two days ago, it felt like just that morning they began hurrying to prepare themselves for the impossible. "There's a funnel forming in grid four. Graviton surge in ninety-eight seconds."

Janeway, sitting stiffly in her chair, nodded. "Alert the other ships. Take us in, Tom."

Paris acknowledged her command, but Tuvok had the news they were all waiting for. "Bosaal and his fleet are approaching. They are charging weapons."

"Janeway to engineering. Status."

B'Elanna, who had been working as hard as could be expected since Janeway told her about their impending attempt to depart, sounded hassled and irritable. "I need two more minutes."

"You've got one." Janeway almost smiled as the link clicked off, certain she'd heard B'Elanna curse.

As anticipated, Bosaal and his own alliance appeared on screen. They wasted no time firing on Janeway's Alliance. Luckily, everyone had fully charged their shields before, thanks to Loquar's intelligence.

"Surge in fifty seconds," said Harry.

Janeway pressed a button, opening a channel to the other ships in her group. "Voyager to all Alliance ships. Begin firing at your designated targets."

[Transporter Room]

Seven, operating the transporter controls due to the need to get around their enemy's shielding, waited for the signal.

Janeway's voice came through the comm. "Transport."

The Doctor eyed the aliens. They were watching him silently, taking in the scene. He knew better than to believe their silence meant they didn't understand. "Acknowledged."

Seven smiled reassuringly at the EMH, aware he wasn't looking forward to this moment.

The Doctor faced the aliens with a bittersweet smile. "Goodbye and good luck. Energise."

Seven pressed the commands and in a shimmering beam, the aliens departed Voyager. Each was bound for a specific location. "Transport complete, Captain. They're in the engine rooms of both ships."

[Bridge]

Harry was still keeping tabs on the funnel. "Thirty seconds."

Valen's ship dodged a blow from an Alliance vessel and hit Voyager with its own weapons.

They had still not received word that B'Elanna got the modulator working.

Another hit to Voyager. The other Alliance ships were being battered, doing their best to hold their own.

"Just a few more seconds," said B'Elanna when Janeway pressed her.

Voyager rattled again.

Harry glanced up. "We're receiving a hail from Valen's ship. It's audio only."

While everyone on the bridge held their breath, a channel was opened. Instead of Valen's smug voice, tinkling, tones came through. The Voyager crew sighed in relief.

Janeway smiled, Fantome's communication literally music to her ears. The channel was still open. "What's he saying, Doctor?"

"Fantome's shut down power on Valen's ship."

"Confirmed," said Tuvok. "Bosaal's ship has lost power as well."

Tom smiled, fighting a laugh. "Who says gremlins in the engine are a myth?"

"Surge in five second," warned Harry, bringing them back to the task at hand. "Four." 

Janeway tried not to hold her breath. "Now, B'Elanna." 

Despite B'Elanna's warnings that she couldn't promise the modulator would work, that the shield would stay up, the shield did come up and encompass all the Alliance ships. The funnel opened and the ships hurried to it.

Chakotay, overseeing things from his seat glanced up. "All ships are in formation." 

Voyager was rocking violently despite the shielding.

"Forty thousand metres to normal space," said Tom. 

"Structural integrity down to twenty percent… ten percent," said Tuvok. 

Janeway nodded. "Do it, Tom!"

At once, synchronized to perfection, the shields dropped and the ships went to warp. Though it seemed like minutes, in less than a second, they were expelled from the funnel and out of the Void.

"We did it." Harry gazed out with wonder at the stars.

"No need to sound so surprised, Harry," said Tom with a wide grin.

Janeway and Chakotay smiled at each other, understanding Harry's happy relief. They both turned to the screen. Stars, nothing more than pinpricks of light around them in the vastness of space had never been so beautiful.


	20. Chapter 20

**Workforce**

[Power Distribution Plant]

There was always so much to do and so many people wasting time.

Annika wondered how the plant hadn't collapsed. Of course, the answer was simple. She knew the plant supplied power vital to the whole planet. Even with a labour shortage, sheer will and determination had kept things running when they should have fallen apart. But such a system couldn't keep going forever. That was why Annika had been hired.

Reorganizing shifts and personnel as well as seeking out the deficient machinery was Annika's specialty. Efficiency was her calling. Efficiency would be their salvation. This she knew to be true without even a hint of ego. Her work was why they were able to afford to let the less illustrious employees go… A Tom Paris had been dismissed after four hours after a remarkably low grade during Annika's review.

She had been working almost three days straight already, straining to arrange the plant into something less chaotic, less wasteful. Her feet were sore and her nerves frayed. More than anything, she needed to regenerate, but the push for perfection in her project kept her going. It was then that she spotted two newcomers and her irritableness pushed to the surface.

The red-haired woman and tall man were quickly identified by her perfect memory. They jumped as she approached.

"This station doesn't require two operators."

The male, Jaffen, stuck out his hand, not intimidated, but a little embarrassed that she'd caught him off guard. "I don't think we've met. I'm—" 

"Employee one three two six." Annika turned to the woman, a Kathryn Janeway, whose eyes were wide. Her voice was harsher than she really meant it to. Normally, she would have chalked her harshness up to exhaustion, but she'd been feeling irritable for awhile now… the reason for it escaped her. "You're employee eight five eight four. Since you're new here, you may not be fully familiar with the labour protocols, but you should be aware that fraternising is not permitted during work hours."

Naturally full of good humour and used to dealing with employers who were on edge, Jaffen smiled at this little speech. He was especially aware of Janeway's eyes on him. "And do you have a number, or maybe a name?"

Raising a brow at his impertinence, she answered. "Annika Hansen."

"And what exactly is your position here?"

Annika tried not to roll her eyes at his obvious attempt to draw her into an irrelevant conversation. She indulged him a moment, however, for reasons she couldn't understand right away. "I'm the new Efficiency Monitor." 

"Oh," said Jaffen as though this was the most interesting news of the day, "I didn't know they'd hired one."

His cavalier attitude almost made her smile, reminding her of someone… No, that wasn't right. It couldn't be. There was no one she knew or had known who could be like him. To cover for her distraction, she straightened and regained her sharp tone. "Now that you do, I suggest you return to your station."

"We weren't fraternising," Janeway finally piped up, unwilling to let Jaffen ruin his reputation over something trivial. The only reason Jaffen had come to speak to her in the first place was because she'd accidentally almost overloaded the system. "He was just helping me correct an input error. We're almost finished."

Annika gave a sharp nod, unable to find fault with that. "Do it quickly," she said, moving away with quick steps to continue her work. They did after all have a power plant to run.

"Yes, ma'am." Katherine grimaced jokingly at Jaffen. She'd really wanted to give a good impression on her first day. Since she didn't sense any real anger or maliciousness in the other woman, Katherine decided to look at the incident with humour.

"I thought we were fraternising." He shuffled a little closer, enough to be considered intimate but not enough to invade her personal space.

Katherine quirked a brow, smiling at his boldness. She assessed him quickly. He was handsome, a little older with grey distinguishing him rather than detracting from his looks. There was a twinkle in his eyes, which were surrounded by laugh lines. "Is that so?"

"Maybe we could get acquainted after work. There is a little place some of us like to go to. We could get a meal."

"I can't." As attractive as she found him, as pleasant as he was to talk to, she hesitated to get too close to someone too fast. Instinct even more than memory told her to hold new people at a distance. 

"You need to talk to someone besides your console," he said with a smirk. Though not in her face or arrogant, his confidence and boldness had not dissipated with the rejection.

Katherine held her stance, though a tinge to her cheeks grew and she hastened to come up with an excuse. "I appreciate the offer, but with this new job I don't really have time to socialise."

[Umali's Bar]

Because it was the closest place to the station, and no one liked to head right back to the dull government buildings, Umali's bar was busy. It was always busy when the shifts let out.

Umali, the no-nonsense proprietor watched her new hire carefully, but without seeming to do so. Around her, the workers were laughing, eating and drinking, enjoying the completion of another prosperous and busy day. She knew they needed her bar as much as she needed them. Theirs wasn't a horrible job and they were given plenty of benefits, but with the labour shortages they all worked hard and looked forward to the release places like hers provided.

"So, this guy was cracking jokes and all of them about my father and he couldn't understand why I wasn't insulted." Jaffen stood with a large group, all of them a few drinks in and chuckling. His species was naturally social and his amiable personality made him popular wherever he went. "Finally, I just had to tell him. I'm Norvalen, I don't have a father!"

The group around him laughed. At the bar a dark man with short hair and pointed ears did so uncontrollably. It was as though it was the first joke he'd ever heard.

The others around Jaffen looked at each other, brows raised and each wondering how much the man had to drink.

Jaffen, though still smiling, quirked his head as he recognized the man from work. "It wasn't _that_ funny, Tuvok."

Still laughing, Tuvok left the bar and moved to Jaffen, patting his shoulder so hard Jaffen almost stumbled. "On the contrary. The man was ignorant of how your species procreates. His attempt to disparage you ultimately humiliated him. Irony is often a source of humour." 

"Yes, well, when you explain it like that, it's not funny at all." The lift of his lips took any sting out of the comment. Around him, the others smirked and began chatting again.

"I also have some humorous anecdotes to share."

Jaffen tried to think of a polite means of extricating himself, but nothing really came to mind. "I look forward to hearing them."

"Well, I…"

Looking up, Jaffen saw his escape and it was in a much pleasanter form than he anticipated. Katherine had just strolled in and sat at an unoccupied table. "Later, Tuvok. Sorry."

As Jaffen moved to join Katherine, Umali rolled her eyes over the antics of her new hire, Tom Paris. She knew he'd be trouble. His charm was either going to be very good for business or very bad for her profit margin. A little away from her in the crowded bar, he was dropping cocktails off at a table with two female clients.

"Here you are," said Tom to the women. "Compliments of the proprietress."

That was enough. Umali called to him. "Tom?"

"I'll be right back," he said to the smiling women.

"The proprietress doesn't give away drinks," said Umali as Tom came close.

He thought quickly. "Well, I'm just creating customer loyalty."

"You've been creating loyalty all night with those two. I suggest you attend to the other tables."

Tom had the grace to look chastened. "Yes, ma'am."

Umali smiled, shaking her head. _Well, at least he doesn't have a problem taking orders from a woman._

[Annika's Apartment]

If she had tried to think really hard about it, Annika would not have been able to remember actually moving into the apartment. She also would not have been able to recall small details of her arrival on the planet or her hiring at the plant. She _knew_ the basics of the story, but details would have been elusive. Fortunately, Annika did not think too much on this because she had no need to.

The apartment, like all government dwellings, was exactly the same as all the others, an austere grey. Of course, that didn't mean she couldn't decorate it… even a little. Unlike everyone else, however, Annika's apartment walls remained in their original dullness without even a picture to brighten them. No plants sat on the windowsill. There weren't even curtains. A single, grey table and chair sat outside the kitchen in the small dining area. A couch – standard grey furnishing – sat against the wall with a standard coffee table in front of it. The bathroom was similarly bare except for the essentials. Her bedroom had been outfitted with a mock regeneration unit and that was all. A tiny closet held a few, identical outfits and two pairs of shoes.

Annika set her PADD on the kitchen counter and looked around with something dangerously close to loneliness. Though she could think of no reason to believe the apartment were missing something, that was exactly how she felt. It was a cloying sensation, made annoying by the absence of a solution or reason. She'd been alone as long as she could remember. Why should that bother her now?

She went about making a simple meal. Unlike the other employees, she didn't work a normal shift so she didn't have time to go out to eat. Her project required longer hours and there was no allure to returning to her empty apartment anyway. As a result, she worked almost until curfew.

She glanced at the PADD as she ate a simple stir fry, noting that she'd have to make time the next day for their regular inoculations.

[Delta Flyer - Aft]

Harry lay on the biobed, groaning and holding his stomach. He had once loved away missions. No more. He hoped he never saw a shuttle from the inside again. "In six years I've never been on an away mission worse than this one."

Neelix, the only one in the aft with Harry, raised his brows with a smirk as he ran a quick scan over the ensign. "Worse than being captured and held under suspicion of being smugglers while the Doctor hid inside Seven's Borg implants?"

"Yes."

"I don't know how you can say that." He read what he could from the scanner. "The cargo hold is crammed with valuable supplies."

"And my stomach is crammed with alien parasites doing backflips." Harry resumed his moaning. It was by strength of will that he neither voided his bowls or his stomach right there.

"I guess you shouldn't have drunk that Falah nectar." Neelix put down the medical tricorder and puttered to the side.

"You insisted I try it."

"The Nar Shaddan consider it a delicacy. To refuse would have insulted them."

"I didn't hear you insisting that Commander Chakotay try it."

"Well, I… I didn't want to bother him. You know how he's been." Neelix was a little too kind to say just what the Commander had been.

Harry didn't nod, but he knew what Neelix meant. The Commander had been downright moody the whole trip and they both knew why. Luckily for them, this simply meant they needed to leave him alone. Chakotay had gone about his job negotiating with their new contacts with unenthusiastic professionalism. Unfortunately, this also meant a lot of goodwill building with the Nar Shaddan fell to Harry and Neelix.

"Besides, Commander Chakotay's a vegetarian."

"It was made from meat?" Harry shouted.

Neelix winced from his spot at the food replicator. He kept forgetting how squeamish humans were, more so than other species. He'd never met a species more obsessed with food than humans. "More like a meat by-product."

Harry gagged a little. "I'm going to be sick."

"Not after you drink this." Neelix turned from his spot with a mug and brought it over.

"What is it?" Harry sniffed. After the last drink Neelix gave him, he wasn't very trusting.

"Leola bark tea, to settle even the queasiest of stomachs." Neelix smiled proudly.

"It smells worse than the meat nectar." He lay back down and rolled a little away from the smell. "I'll wait for the Doctor to treat me. At least I'll be sleeping in my own bed tonight."

Before Neelix could answer, Chakotay's voice came over the comm. "Harry, I know you're not feeling well, but I need you and Neelix up here."

[Delta Flyer – Cockpit]

Though Harry was battling squirming intestines and even Neelix was feeling the itch to return to Voyager, Chakotay was easily the grumpiest of them all. He tried to keep his temper in check, but Neelix had been right not to press any issues with him while on their mission. He was glad that at least this mission didn't have the EMH assigned. That was one antagonism he didn't need added to his plate.

"Anything wrong, Commander?" asked Neelix, taking his seat. A little more gingerly, Harry sat as well.

 _You mean besides that I had to put my wedding on hold first for the Void and then on a series of missions for resources like this one?_ Of course, that wasn't what really caused him to feel on edge just then. It was something much more serious than a disrupted schedule. "We're at the rendezvous coordinates, but there's no sign of Voyager, and they're not responding to hails."

Harry and Neelix looked at each other, thinking the Commander was getting antsy a little prematurely.

"Start scanning on all frequencies," said Chakotay. He knew in all likelihood Janeway had simply found something of interest to explore and lost track of time or perhaps been unable to send a message. And yet worry ate at him. Something just didn't feel right. "They've got to be out there somewhere."

"So much for my own bed," said Harry. He was sarcastic, but not concerned. He assumed Voyager had simply needed to change plans or sought out a new stash of resources. Twice now the same thing had occurred when the away team returned to the rendezvous coordinates. The Delta Flyer arrived, but there was no Voyager. Neither time had turned out to be anything serious.

"Don't worry," said Neelix, smirking at Harry's dramatics. "I'm sure the dressing down the Commander gave the Captain last time means they're pretty close."

"I didn't 'dress down' anyone," said Chakotay, but his lips twitched. It wasn't really that far from the truth. He may or may not have raised his voice to Janeway when he returned from the last away mission to discover Voyager missing because Janeway had redirected the ship to search another planet for resources.

"Sure you didn't," Neelix teased. "Though, I can't say I blame you. I have a feeling that if you weren't so eager to see Seven, your reaction might have been much milder."

Despite his concern, Chakotay chuckled. It was true enough. In Janeway's defence, the last instance she'd missed the rendezvous time she'd sent the team a message, but damage to the Delta Flyer's communications meant they didn't get it.

It didn't take as long as they feared to find Voyager, but it wasn't easy either. Only because the computers were naturally set to pick up Starfleet homing signals and signatures did they find it.

"Sir," Harry called up to the Commander an hour later, "I found an encrypted message."

Chakotay partially turned, his shoulders already stiff and back aching from his growing worry. "Is it—"

"It's Voyager." Harry confirmed, but that was only because it carried a Starfleet signature. "I'll run it through the regular decryption programs."

"Check it against—"

"I know. I know." Harry sighed. "My usual scans include Borg coding as well."

Chakotay smiled, not quite relieved, but definitely feeling better that Harry would have anticipated his request, Chakotay continued piloting. If it was an encrypted message, he took a guess that Voyager had run into trouble and began looking for places to hide a ship. It was an idea that sprouted from his memories of hiding from Starfleet in the Badlands. At his command, Neelix began looking for likely spots and sure enough…

"Do you really think they're in there?" Neelix peered out at the colourful conglomeration of gasses, radiation and dust making up the nebula.

"Maybe." Chakotay turned his seat for Harry's verdict. "Well?"

Harry's scans couldn't get through the nebula's natural protection, its makeup jumbling up the results, but the computer was running its last decryption program over the message he picked up and as far as they could tell, the signal came from the nebula's direction. "Just a moment."

"What could have forced them all the way out here?" asked Neelix.

"Well, you did detect those ships in the area," said Chakotay. "Maybe they have something to do with this." The nebula wasn't able to offer perfect hiding from potential attackers, but it provided more protection than open space. "Hard to say without more evidence, but it looks like the vultures are circling."

Harry piped up as the computer beeped at him. "You may be right."

Neelix's brows furrowed. "Vultures?"

Chakotay shook his head, directing his attention to Harry. "What is it?"

Harry read it quickly. "A distress call." He looked up. "You were right. We have to go inside the nebula."

[Bridge - Voyager]

"Stop what you're doing and turn around!"

Harry and Chakotay turned in surprise, each noting the change in the EMH's program despite their cumbersome space suits. The lights were at a minimum, Voyager on emergency power only. There were no life support systems working, which was what the duo were reviewing when the EMH walked in.

"Take it easy, Doc." Harry's voice edged towards alarm as he noticed the weapon in the EMH's hands. "It's us."

"It's good to see some friendly faces." The Doctor breathed a holographic sigh of relief. "For that matter, it's good to see any faces at all. I'm sorry I haven't gotten life support back online yet, but since I've been the only one aboard it hasn't been a priority."

Chakotay glanced around meaningfully. "What the hell happened?"

"We ran into some problems."

Harry snorted.

"I can see that." Chakotay rolled his eyes. "Can you be a little more specific? Where's the rest of the crew?" _Where's Seven?_

"I don't know." The Doctor's brow furrowed as he frowned worriedly. Despite their problems in the past, he even looked with some sympathy at Chakotay, who was no doubt worried more particularly about his fiancé. "About twelve hours after you left on your away mission, things started to go wrong."

"What happened?" Chakotay repeated, a knot tightening in his stomach.

"We hit some sort of subspace mine." With a small shudder the Doctor remembered the jolt of the ship and then the real fear that followed. "I transferred myself to the mobile emitter and I was soon inundated with casualties, all suffering from tetryon radiation poisoning. I was able to stabilise them, but with Voyager flooded in radiation, there was only so much I could do."

Chakotay and Harry glanced at each other. They hadn't detected any other subspace mines or anything to indicate the area should have such a thing. It suggested that whatever Voyager hit had been intentionally placed. Thankfully, they also hadn't detected any humanoid bodies floating in the area so they continued to hope.

"The Captain ordered everyone to evacuate in the escape pods and initiated the Emergency Command Hologram." The Doctor puffed up with pride. "When they were gone, I began to assess the damage caused by the mine, but before I could even get started with the repairs, Voyager was attacked."

"Who attacked you?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but they claimed Voyager and I belonged to them. I had to break off their tractor beam and steer Voyager away. I managed to evade the other two ships and hid inside this nebula. I vented the radiation, repaired as many systems as I could, but with no help?" He shook his head. "Let's just say I'm glad you found me."

"It wasn't easy picking up your homing signal."

"Well, I had to encrypt it." The Doctor waved around at their abandoned location and out the window to the gasses around them. "Every time I left the nebula I detected more ships searching for me." 

"Do you have any information that might help us figure out who your attackers are?" Chakotay asked, all business. It didn't mean his worry was gone, but knowing what had happened gave him purpose and direction.

"No, but I've analysed all of their weapons signatures." The Doctor went to a console and pulled up his work. "They match the subspace mine. It was a deliberate attempt to disable Voyager."

Chakotay shook his head, speaking honestly, the best interaction he'd had with the EMH in months. "It's a good thing you were here."

"What about the rest of the crew?" Harry asked.

The taught lines in the EMH's face were a clear display of his own worry. "I haven't heard a word."

"We'll have to assume whoever set the mine also tried to take over Voyager and probably has the crew." Chakotay looked to the EMH. "Which systems have you got online?"

"Umm."

Harry stifled a smirk.

"All right." Chakotay sighed, forcing his concern for the crew to the back of his mind as he prioritized their needs. "Why don't you and Harry get life support back on at least? Harry has a bit of a stomach bug when you're done with that."

"What are you going to do?" the Doctor asked before the Commander could move away.

"I'm going to start tracking our people."

[Power Distribution Plant]

Tuvok watched the woman with red hair, a name almost coming to him as disjointed visions plagued him. It was impossible to tell what was real and what was dream now, the visions hounding him without break.

 _Janeway. Captain._ He was sure of it and yet he had memories that contradicted that. And yet those memories were fading fast and seeming more dreamlike than reality. It was so confusing that it was physically painful to try to sort out.

Kathryn worked on, oblivious to the attention.

He could take it no longer. His feet moved as though a magnet drew him to her. "I believe we know each other."

Startled, Kathryn faced him. She took a moment to understand what he'd said and who he was. It wasn't that hard since they'd met very recently. "You're Tuvok, right? We met last week at the shift briefing."

Tuvok shook his head, wooziness threatening as he strained to find and focus on one truth within the conflicting quagmire of his mind. "Before that." An image of her on a starship produced itself. "Before we were working here."

"Oh, I don't think so," Kathryn smiled, easily dismissing the idea. Her eyes flickered to his ears. "I mean, we're obviously not from the same place."

 _No, that's not true. And yet it is…_ "Still, I believe I know you."

Kathryn watched him a little closer, a smidge of concern rising in her as the man clearly struggled with himself.

The memories faded and fluxed, disappearing to images of them in a medical facility. A starship made no sense, especially since she was right about them being different species, but maybe they met earlier on Quarra. Yes, that made sense. "From the hospital, perhaps?"

She quirked her head, truly confused. Besides a day in quarantine filling out forms, she'd not been sick on Quarra. "What hospital?"

"I am not certain. We were patients."

"No," she stepped away, trying to focus on her task again, disconcerted by the conversation now. "You must have me confused with someone else. I've never been sick enough to go to a hospital. I'm sorry, I have a lot of work to finish."

"Please, try to remember." She had to remember. He knew it was true. As disjointed and faded and frail a memory as it was, he knew it was truth, but he couldn't think of why it was so difficult a memory to hold onto or why he was suddenly so sure that it was a key to something greater. "It may be important."

Jaffen appeared, having noticed Tuvok uncomfortably near Kathryn and her attempt to turn her back on the other man. "Is there a problem here?" 

Though still disconcerted by Tuvok's talk, Kathryn wasn't afraid of him or so frail as to believe Jaffen's interference was necessary. "Just a misunderstanding." 

Jaffen looked at Tuvok, who backed away immediately, seeming unsteady as he did. "Yes, I'm – it's – it's just a – just a misunderstanding."

A bead of sweat collected on Tuvok's brow, turning Jaffen's protectiveness into concern. "You don't look well." He tried to get a closer look at the other man, but Tuvok backed further away. Jaffen was sure the man must have a fever. "Maybe you should go to the infirmary."

Even in his confused state, Tuvok knew that was not a good idea. "No, no, I'm fine." He looked for an escape. "Sorry to have bothered you." 

Jaffen and Kathryn watched him go. "What was that all about?"

Kathryn shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"He's a strange man, and a terrible joke teller," said Jaffen. When Tuvok was out of sight, Jaffen shrugged off his concern and turned his attention fully to Kathryn. "So, we having dinner tonight?"

"Again?"

"What, you don't like my cooking?" His natural smile made it impossible to take him seriously.

"No, it's wonderful. It's just—"

"I'm going to keep trying until I make you the perfect meal." There was a laugh in his voice and in his eyes, yet he was serious enough. He wanted to please Kathryn more than he'd wanted to please anyone before.

"And then we stop eating together?" She wagged a finger at him when he opened his mouth to argue. She was only joking. "I'll have dinner with you, on one condition. I make it."

Blessedly unaware of the horror he would be in for, he agreed with a smile. "I think I can accept those terms."

"Good." Katherine felt lighter than she had in years. She couldn't remember the last time she'd flirted or enjoyed someone's company in and outside of work so much. Plus, now that he'd agreed to let her cook, she could finally return the favour of taking her out. "Now go back to your station before the Efficiency Monitor catches us fraternising."

Despite the shortness of the interaction, Annika had indeed caught them, but uncharacteristically chose not to intervene. She'd noticed Tuvok leave his station and when he began talking to Katherine, she moved closer to ensure the interaction was short and professional. However, it had both proven unnecessary and not so easy.

 _Hospital?_ She heard him say he'd met Katherine there, but there was nothing she recalled from their personnel files to indicate either one had been together in any medical facility. It made her pause. As she listened, confusion stopped her from breaking into their conversation.

When Tuvok moved along, Annika lingered, thinking over what he'd said. The result was that she was around for Jaffen's invitation to dinner.

 _Perfect_ … Jaffen said he wanted to make the perfect dinner for Katherine.

Seven couldn't figure out why that struck a chord in her, but it was such a strong sense of déjà vu that she became lost to it. The rest of the day passed by in a daze as she went over the simple conversation she overheard and tried to recall when she'd heard a similar conversation. It was not just the words but Jaffen's tone and body language. It was familiar, but not quite right. He was… She couldn't remember.

[Voyager – Bridge]

Chakotay sighed, stifling his impatience as best he could. They'd restored primary systems and left the nebula to try to find the crew, but all that had taken a lot of time. He'd not said anything out loud, but he was deeply worried about what might be happening to their friends. Any delay, even necessary repairs, was a painful drag.

A lot of damage was still left to be repaired, but his concern was shared by the others and as a result, no one wanted to wait around. The warp core was online, but secondary systems were still non-functioning. In fact, secondary everything was in need of repair. Anything not already repaired or deemed essential would have to wait while Harry, Neelix, Chakotay and the Doctor worked their way from one control panel to the next.

Alert to the reality that Voyager's original attackers were still out there and very likely still looking for them, Harry reconfigured sensors to detect subspace mines. Not wanting to take a chance, the scans were both continuous and set to alert him personally if anything smaller than a micro satellite was found.

Harry was also looking for anything that would show them where their people were. Sensors looked for encrypted messages, life signs, Borg and Starfleet signatures, even Maquis encryption sequencing. Nothing came up.

"I've repaired the deuterium injectors, brought secondary propulsion back online, and soothed Ensign Kim's upset tummy."

Chakotay wasn't really paying attention, busy piloting Voyager and reviewing the results of scans. As a result, he responded with distracted pleasantry at the Doctor's entrance. "Good work."

"Yes, well, it helps when you don't have to sleep."

Glancing down at the now refreshed list of things to be repaired, Chakotay glanced at the next item on the list, but decided he'd take that one on himself. The next two he'd save for Harry. The next after that was one that would take longer and probably require a day or two. "Why don't you get started on the ruptured plasma conduits on deck ten?"

The Doctor fell into the Captain's chair with a sigh. "Can't you take care of those?"

Chakotay stiffened. "I beg your pardon?"

"Emergency Command Hologram." The EMH tapped his chest, which had gradually puffed up with each day on his own and then after each system repaired. "Doesn't that suggest my place is here, in Voyager's command centre?"

A deep breath was required to keep his cool. Even so, he spoke with a calm that would have alerted anyone other than the EMH of the danger. "Look, Doctor, I'm impressed with the way you handled yourself while we were gone, but we're a team and no matter our rank, we have to work together to keep this ship going."

"And as an ECH, I should be… helping make decisions."

Chakotay narrowed his eyes, the hesitation in the Doctor's simple sentence saying enough of his ego. It was clear the Doctor wanted to be making all the decisions. He really didn't want to have to have this argument, not now, not with the EMH. "Regardless of your programming upgrade, I'm still the senior officer here. The plasma conduits need fixing, which Harry or I will help with once we've restored access to—"

"Kim to Chakotay."

Breaking off with a frustrated sigh, Chakotay looked away from the EMH. Only then did he realize how strained his tone and body had become. A tension headache was well on its way. "Go ahead."

"I've found them, Commander." Harry's excitement was audible even over the communications system. "They're on an M class planet. At maximum warp we can be there in less than three days."

"Transfer the coordinates to the helm. I'll be in astrometrics." The strain of the past few moments disappeared. Chakotay felt himself practically bounce with excitement. The link clicked off as he stood, eager to see the data for himself and conduct his own research. "Doctor, the command centre is yours."

Suddenly alone with the Captain's chair, the Doctor shrugged and settled into the seat. Taking a deep breath, he smiled, patting the armrests cheerfully.

[Jaffen's Apartment]

Though the basics of the space were just like all the other government housing, Jaffen's apartment was decorated with art and comforts he'd brought from his home world. Some things he'd acquired later, but all gave the place a comfier atmosphere. Of course, anything added to the austere greyness of the government housing made a vast improvement.

His apartment also currently boasted a new, if somewhat unwelcome quality: the smell of burned dinner.

Donning his best, and least suspicious smile, Jaffen ignored the possibility of food poisoning in light of the success of getting Kathryn to spend quality time with him. It still came out as a grimace. "Mmm, smells good."

Kathryn knew he was lying, but rather than anger her, his kind and somewhat fearful expression gave her comfort and a sense of familiarity she couldn't place. Though she couldn't explain it, she had the sense he was reminding her of someone… someone forgotten. And in a snap, the trail of the faded memory was gone and out of her mind entirely. "It's only burnt on the outside. Your cooking console's a little temperamental, huh? 

"Did you try talking to it?"

She couldn't help smiling a little, a touch of adoration settling in her heart at the teasing. Again, the sense of familiarity and safety pressed on her. "Once I cut off the charred part, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Steeling himself, Jaffen gamely tried a bite. It took all his restraint to not immediately spit it out. Chewing slowly and wondering how he was going to swallow it, he managed to speak around the tough, overly salty piece of mystery meat. "It's good."

"Really?" For a moment, she was hopeful.

Jaffen shook his head. There was just no way he could lie his way through this. _How can it be both too salty and too sour?_

Scowling and yet good natured about her failure, she tossed her napkin down and stood. "Let's go."

Jaffen discreetly spit his food into his napkin. "Where?"

"I promised you dinner." She turned to get her coat. "We'll just have to get it somewhere else." 

Not one to pass up an opportunity with someone he admired so much, he all but ran to stop her. "Wait," he said, taking her hand before she could take more than two steps. "I'm not really hungry. Are you?" 

"No." Her slow smile grew. His hand was warm over hers, burning a trail up as he caressed her arm. Stronger now and wholly focussed on him, the sense of safety and familiarity filled her completely.

"Let's stay here," he suggested, his voice growing husky. Her eyes were wide, finely shaped and looking up at him and only him. It was entrancing, intoxicating. He moved closer, bending and meeting her lifted lips.

[Bridge]

"I have personally interviewed several of the individuals on your crew manifest. None of them know who you are, nor have they heard of a starship Voyager."

Chakotay spoke through gritted teeth, only remembering himself because the man on the viewscreen was their best chance to find the Voyager crew. He continued to pilot as the Doctor and Harry worked at Ops and Tactical. "I'd like to speak to them myself."

The Ambassador, a typical government type, who had more bluster than substance, denied Chakotay without batting an eye or showing any body language at all beyond boredom. "That's not possible."

"If you're telling the truth, you have nothing to lose by letting us talk to them. I'd particularly like to speak to my fiancé."

The Ambassador's expression showed no sympathy, actually turning annoyed. "Unlike other planets in this system, we grant our guest workers the full protection of our laws."

The Doctor piped up, just as surprised and annoyed as Chakotay at the Ambassador's lack of help. "What exactly are you protecting them from?"

"Unscrupulous individuals attempting to acquire skilled labourers."

"We're not trying to acquire labourers. They're out crew." The EMH glanced at Chakotay, whose lips pursed as he thought. "We're trying to find our friends." 

"Most of your friends have excellent positions in the Central Power Facility in the capital. Why would any of them want to travel thousands of light years to a planet on the other side of the galaxy when they have safe, comfortable lives right here?"

"So, you admit that our crew is on your planet," said Chakotay. His eyes narrowed, furious anger rising as the other man puffed up. "You didn't speak with any of them, did you?"

"I suggest you look elsewhere to increase your labour supply. If you attempt to disturb any of our citizens, we will respond with force."

The transmission ended, leaving the screen with a view of the Quarra system.

Chakotay breathed deep, trying to calm his clenching stomach. It didn't really work. He turned to Harry, who had been quietly working at his usual station. "Any luck?"

Harry shook his head. The planet's security was more advanced than most. Even without the shield around the planet, it was unlikely they could take on the government armada. They all already knew this. "There's no way to beam them through the shield grid."

Chakotay nodded. It was time to try something other than diplomacy. "Take us out of orbit."

The Doctor looked at him sharply. "We're not leaving them behind?"

"No, but I want these people to think we are." Starfleet diplomacy wouldn't work and brute force wasn't an option. They needed cunning and infiltration. His years in the Maquis would come in handy. "We're going to go through unofficial channels and I don't want them harassing us."

"What do you mean? We know they're there. If we just talk to someone else—"

"They know they have our crew and they know we know. Something tells me they won't give up our people without a fight and that's a battle we won't win."

[Astrometrics]

Chakotay entered, feeling a wrench as he saw Neelix standing where Seven normally was. He forced his emotions to the side as best he could. Pining wouldn't help anyone. Steeling himself, he strode in, all business. "Any progress?" 

Neelix looked up from the console with an uncharacteristic frown and shook his head. On the screen at his fingers was a list of ships he'd contacted and readings on others close by. "I've spoken to the captains of eight vessels that left Quarra in the last two weeks."

"And?" Surely it would be newsworthy if a large group of unique aliens unknown in the sector suddenly appeared. Someone must have noticed and mentioned it.

"Nothing, but every one of them asked me if I was looking for employment. It would seem we found our motive for the Quarra government to kidnap our people. Apparently, there's a severe labour shortage throughout this system. There's a lot of competition for workers."

"They must be pretty desperate if they're kidnapping people. They're lucky they haven't started a war."

"Apparently war was what decimated their workforce in the first place."

"You don't say." Chakotay's brow furrowed as he thought.

"Do you really think anyone would go to such lengths for 150 workers?" Neelix asked, turning his gaze to the Commander. "Seems extreme for so little reward."

"150 skilled workers." Chakotay shrugged. "I've seen people do worse for less. It might be extreme, but so far that's where the evidence is leading us. Do you really think the whole crew just decided to give up and work here their whole lives?"

"No." Neelix didn't even have to think about it to know the answer. "All right, but how are we going to get to them?"

"That Ambassador said most of our people were working at the main power facility." If they were really so desperate, they weren't likely to look too deeply into the background of a new employment seeker… "I wonder if they still have any positions to fill."

Neelix's expansive brow furrowed in confusion. "I can make some inquiries. Why?"

It brought him in mind of his time in the Maquis, gathering intel and sneaking where they weren't supposed to be. "Because you and I are going to find ourselves jobs."

Neelix, cottoning on and glad to see a smile on the Commander's face, felt his own lips curve upwards. "We can use my ship. They won't be familiar with it."

"Good idea, Neelix. Just to be safe, we'll test out the Doctor's reconstructive surgery skills while we're at it."

[Sickbay]

It was harder not to scratch and squirm than he remembered. Heavy orbital bones made his brow feel as well as look heavier, as though he had something pressing his eyes partly closed. A slight tingle around the area of his tattoo started.

Harry and Neelix watched in interest as their friend's face changed. They could still tell it was him, but that was because they knew him so well and extensive surgery wasn't necessary. The Quarra people and Ambassador, should he encounter Chakotay, wouldn't realize who he was.

Neelix watched the Doctor perform the simple procedure with fascination. He'd never personally seen surgery for anything besides wounds. "I still say you should have posed as a Talaxian. We'd have made a striking pair."

The EMH chuckled and held up a mirror for the Commander. "Not that I'm not up to the task, but that would have required a lot more prosthetics." He eyed Neelix's fluffy head. "And a wig."

"Still." Neelix sighed.

The surgery was convincing and sufficient to make him unrecognizable enough. Chakotay smiled. The reflection smiled back. "Whiskers make me itch."

"Besides, you'd be pretty conspicuous," said Harry. Even with Talaxians being native to the Delta Quadrant, they were rare enough in this area and two would be hard to miss.

Setting down the mirror, Chakotay tried to get used to the new weight and shape of his brow. There was a ridge over his eyes and smaller ridges forming a "V" on his forehead. It was nothing unique, nothing to raise suspicion or draw attention. He looked up at Neelix. "How did it go?"

"As soon as I told the Supervisor our qualifications, he was eager to hire us, even helped me get a docking permit for my ship. We'll be gainfully employed by tomorrow morning."

"It's always good to be appreciated as an employee," said Chakotay, smiling. Now that they had a clear plan and were so close to their trapped friends, his spirits were light, almost giddy.

Harry handed the Doctor a small piece of metal. "Here you go, Doc."

"Give me your hand, Mr. Neelix," said the Doctor.

Though he looked somewhat nervously at it, Neelix did as he was asked. "What's this?"

"A sub-dermal transponder," said Harry. Once Neelix was done, he handed a second one to the Doctor, who inserted it in the Commander's hand. "It will allow us to maintain an open comm. link so we can transport you through the shield grid if there's trouble."

Chakotay hopped off the bed and nodded at Harry. "Hold position at maximum transporter range." Chances were good they'd need a quick escape and they didn't want Voyager to attract attention. 

"Aye, sir." Harry had already figured out the logistics of it. He turned to return to the bridge, but both he and Chakotay halted at the EMH's indignant tone.

"I assumed I'd be in charge during your absence…" after a moment of thought, "Commander."

"Excuse me?" Harry turned incredulous eyes to the EMH, gaping at him. He was aware of the Commander's irritated sigh as he hurried to the door.

"An Emergency Command Hologram programmed with over two million tactical subroutines outranks an Ensign," said the EMH, barely sparing Harry a glance as he pursued Chakotay.

Harry, who usually got along okay with the Doctor, followed the hologram with an indignant scowl. "A few words to the computer and this Ensign can delete those subroutines."

"Then you'd be depriving yourself of a skilled leader for the sake of your ego."

"My ego?" Harry could hardly believe his ears or his eyes. The EMH clearly believed his own words.

"Yes, just because you're jealous doesn't mean you should put this ship in danger."

Harry swelled, too angry to know where to start with his indignant torrent. Luckily, Chakotay had stopped walking away and decided his intervention was necessary to prevent a screaming match. "Hold it!"

"I am much more qualified—" The Doctor cut off when the Commander raised a hand to silence him.

"Gentlemen!" He had neither time nor patience for two men trying to stake their territory like a couple of dogs after the same hunting grounds. Chakotay spoke a little more sharply than normal. He spared a glance at both of their scowls. _I can't deal with this right now._ "Work it out."

[Annika's Apartment]

She stepped from the regeneration unit, her mind a pleasant blank for a split second. Then, her brain and the Borg technology caught up to each other and she was able to recall every detail of her research and reviews from yesterday as well as knew what she had to do in her upcoming day. It was a lot of information, but her mind could handle it. And yet…

Something was missing. Annika tried to think of what could be off, what could possibly be missing from the information backed up and downloaded by her regeneration unit. Nothing came to mind. Nothing.

 _Maybe… Before I came to Quarra…_ She tried to remember, to imagine what she could possibly be forgetting. She had an identic memory so the sensation of an empty space was new and strange. Still, it was there. A hole. She couldn't recall… What? It was missing entirely.

Shaking her head, Annika entered the bathroom and set the temperature on the shower. Normally she showered in the evening, but she'd been too tired last night, returning home less than a second before curfew.

The water was hotter than she was used to, but it helped burn away the strangeness of her waking to an absence of something she couldn't name.

Moving without conscious thought, reviewing her tasks for the day, Annika showered and dressed herself, exiting the bedroom with a sigh.

The apartment was quiet, inexplicably quieter than Annika felt it should be. She listened for a moment, expecting to hear someone else's breathing or the smells of someone making breakfast, perhaps the sound of the shower starting up again. There was nothing. She couldn't understand why the absence bothered her.

Efficient despite her distraction, Annika ate a simple meal and packed something quick to eat at work. She left the silent apartment, straightening her shoulders to face the world. 

[Power Plant]

Report upon report popped up throughout the day, adding to Annika's full agenda. She added dealing with each incident to her list as they came up and then proceeded to deal with them as priorities warranted.

"Good morning."

Annika looked up from her spot against a bunch of wiring and plumbing as her supervisor's strained voice jolted her. She was staring into space, but she held up her PADD as though reading.

Rook was a Quarren native, born and raised in the capital. His light skin tone and sandy hair was the most common on the planet, even if that hair was turning more grey than sandy and getting rather thin on top. If it weren't for the small ridge of bone between his eyes and the downturn to his bottom lip, he would have been mistaken for a human. He was not a man of much size, but had an efficient and no-nonsense demeanour which suited him to supervisory work. He had indeed worked diligently enough to have distinguished himself and rise to a supervisor position early on. There he'd remained, enjoying the relatively simple routines. This was good since there was too much of a worker shortage to promote him further.

"Sir?" Annika liked Rook well enough and gave him due respect. She enjoyed that he left her to do her tasks with minimal overhead, and liked that he worked as hard as she did.

Though she wouldn't voice the feeling, she knew Rook's dedicated demeanour and habit of correcting her social awkwardness reminded her of someone. And yet she couldn't think of who that someone was. When she did try to remember, there was a blankness.

"I've been informed that an employee has missed his last three inoculations." Rook frowned, frustrated with yet another thing he and his small team was expected to take over.

"Ensuring employees take their inoculations is not—"

"I know, I know. Trust me, I argued it too, but management just tore my hide off. They say the Health and Safety unit is too busy." He scowled at the PADD in his hand, but forced a smile when he looked at Annika. "It's actually your fault they want us to take this on."

"My fault?" Annika could think of no reason for her to suddenly take on medical chores.

"You are too efficient for your own good," Rook explained, still smiling. "They say we should now take on more duties like this since you've helped them free up so much time. Good work… I think."

There was no arguing that and she was pleased her work was making a difference, but the last thing she needed was added responsibility. She stifled her irritated sigh, gave Rook a nod and tight smile, and went to fulfill her new duty.

[Tuvok's Station]

"Employee eight five eight three." She spoke more sharply than necessary, irritated that this conversation was necessary. He didn't acknowledge her, but then some employees were ridiculously resistant to using their employee numbers. "Mr. Tuvok, according to my records, you've neglected to report for your last three inoculations."

Tuvok didn't look at her. Tired, too hot, and his head spinning, it was impossible to pay attention to the sound of the woman's voice.

"These inoculations are for your protection."

Tuvok shook his head, trying to clear the mess of confusion and senses he knew should not be there.

He was ignoring her, which irritated her further. Annika raised her voice. "A sick worker is not an efficient worker."

Images and sounds swirled in his mind, all things he didn't recognize and yet felt he should know very well. Despite not acknowledging her, he did hear Annika's voice speaking to him. At first her voice simply was lost in the ciphony in his head, but then it became a thread. He followed the thread of her voice back in time to the blank spaces…

Annika couldn't do this all day and Tuvok didn't look too good. "Report to the infirmary."

"Seven of Nine." It was all so clear and yet threatened to fade. He began to shake a little as he tried to hold on to the memories.

"What?"

His sweating increased as he turned to face her, still following the trail of recollections about the blonde. As he did, he recognized other faces, other voices. "Seven of Nine. It's your designation." 

Annika quirked her head, wondering what was wrong with him. "My employee number is eight five eight six."

 _No!_ He realized she truly didn't recognize him. His hold on his control was slipping. He had no time, no choice. Straightening up so swiftly that she could do nothing to stop him, he grabbed her and placed his fingers on her temple.

"Take your hands off me!" Held too tight in his surprisingly strong grip, Annika shouted and struggled in vain.

 _Make her understand. She has to…_

People were everywhere. Annika shouted out, hoping help would come quickly. "Call security!"

Tuvok grabbed onto the first image he could, of Seven of Nine stepping from her regeneration unit. That in itself wasn't startling, but he felt her stop struggling in his arms as she felt the moment to be significant and something utterly unexpected.

She couldn't see herself in the vision, but Annika knew what was there. Around her was a starship and she wore a different outfit – a uniform – and different hair.

The image flashed away to an outdoor scene she didn't recognize with a man with dark features and a tattoo above his left eye standing at her side. The image came to her as did a sense of familiarity, comfort. 

"I don't believe you are who you think you are." The voice was Lt. Commander Tuvok's...

The man in the vision smiled at her, his pupils growing larger as they settled on her face. A warmth spread through her chest. "Seven."

He held out his hand and she glanced down to see a bright blue flower. _Delphinium scaposum.  
_

All at once the images were gone and two burly security officers dragged Tuvok from her. She doubled over, almost slumping to the ground. Instead of being relieved, Annika stared after them with shock, confusion, and a strange regret.

Still determined to get her to understand, to believe him, Tuvok shouted as he was forced away. "We don't belong here. We don't belong here! This isn't right! We don't belong here! Seven, remember!"

Kathryn Janeway, who caught the tail end of the exchange went to the blonde woman. She put a hand on the other woman's shoulder and helped haul her to her feet, but Annika seemed not to feel it. Breathing hard, she stared after the ranting Tuvok as though she wanted to go after him.

"Are you all right?"

Annika forced herself to nod, unaware of how wide her eyes were. The images, more real than any dream she could have imagined, were still playing in her mind. "Yes, thank you."

Kathryn watched Annika walk unsteadily away, concerned but relatively sure no physical harm had been done. Jaffen joined her, the one who hit the alarm for security. They were equally surprised and shaken by the bizarre incident.

[Annika's Apartment]

The door swished open and Annika strode in slower than usual. She held a PADD, but hadn't bothered to glance at it all the way home. Absentmindedly, she tossed it on the kitchen counter without thought.

Annika rubbed her aching head. She should regenerate, but didn't feel the inclination. Uncertain as to what to do with herself, she stood in the kitchen and looked around. It was late afternoon and she hadn't eaten anything since her breakfast. However, nothing was appealing.

 _I don't believe you are who you think you are._ That's what Tuvok had said.

 _Who else could I be?_ It was an honest question, not a dismissal. She wanted to scoff at Tuvok's rantings, but not only did he seem to fully believe his statements, she could provide no explanation for the images he'd drawn from her mind other than that they were real.

Abandoning the thought of a meal, she strode to her bedroom, but stopped short of entering. Instead, she stood in the doorway and stared at her regeneration unit. It was imposing to most people, but just a necessary tool in her mind. Still, for the first time she could remember, she wished to sleep. She had no bed, but there was the couch.

With a tired sigh, Annika sat on the plain grey cushions. She could tell at a glance that the couch would be too short to stretch out, but she was growing too weary to care. Sinking down, she pulled the decorative blanket over herself and curled up.

[Voyager – Corridor]

She strode down the hallway, confident in her steps even though she didn't know her exact destination. She looked behind herself where the corridor faded dramatically into a weaving of Borg and Starfleet technology. At the end, where she had come from, was her regeneration unit plus four others. To her surprise, children occupied the four other units. Though she didn't immediately recognize them, she knew she should.

Turning back to her original path, she made a turn down the stretching corridor and came to a large room with computers everywhere and a large viewscreen up front.

"Seven of Nine."

She noticed a dark-haired man whose name she couldn't quite recall – _no, he's Chakotay_ – standing next to Tuvok. Both men wore uniforms she didn't recognize and stood stoically watching her. It was unnerving and yet she had the sense it should be familiar.

"Who are you?" Annika asked.

"Seven of Nine," said Tuvok.

"I am not Seven of Nine." _I'm Annika._

"You are not who you think you are."

Annika shook her head.

"Seven of Nine." It was Chakotay.

Annika glanced down, realizing she was closer to the mysterious Chakotay than she thought, or perhaps they had moved closer. He was within arm's length and holding out his hand. Within his palm was a bright blue flower.

"Delphinium scaposum."

Annika met Chakotay's warm, brown eyes. For once she felt safe, calm, like she was where she belonged.

Seven – _Annika, my name is Annika_ – woke with a start. She glanced around her quiet apartment. All was as it should be.

Lying back down, she wiped a hand over her forehead. It was going to be a long night.

(Power Distribution Plant – Rook's Office)

Rook's office was uncluttered only because everything was electronic, held within the many computers and controls on the walls and desks. His data was uncluttered and organized because Annika had helped him file it efficiently. As with almost everything in the industrial city, Rook's office was a study in greys. His desk was grey metal, his chair the same, housing a grey computer.

"Are you all right?" Rook looked over his subordinate with concern. He thought an early night would do her good after the attack, but she looked worse.

"I am functioning within normal parameters." She resisted the urge to run a hand over her tired eyes.

"Did you rest at all last night?"

"Not much," she admitted. Dredging up a small smile for the man, she tried to reassure him. "I slept instead of regenerating. Clearly that was a mistake."

"Do you need to leave early?" His eyes were creased both with concern for his employee and worry for the work that would go untouched while she was away. On the one hand, they were behind, but on the other, protection of the employee was sacred.

Annika shook her head. "That is not necessary. Regeneration tonight will be sufficient."

"Well all right then." Smiling, Rook patted her shoulder. "Oh, and you'll be happy to know we already replaced Mr. Tuvok."

[Power Distribution Plant]

Above and below were catwalks with pipes, wires, and work stations of every sort. Workers of absolutely every possible description scurried here and there. Everyone was busy, barely stopping to chat even when handing off a tool or PADD, but all seemed content if not happy.

Neelix had been assigned to the same plant, but a different section. The separation made Chakotay nervous. Luckily, his years running risky and downright perilous Maquis operations meant he could stifle his unease. Besides, no one recognized him so far and no one had seen Neelix prior to their interview.

At first, Chakotay assumed it would be difficult to find the Voyager crew. He thought the only way they would be working in the plant was by force, perhaps hidden away somewhere and kept away from any means of contacting help. It soon became apparent that wasn't the case.

"Qualification level three in micro-kinetics," said the supervisor, Rook, reading from a PADD as they walked to Chakotay's new station. Chakotay had forgotten the man's name already. "You could use some improvement there. Level five in thermionic conversion. Good." He cheered a little. "We lost a thermionic specialist yesterday."

"Did he find a better job?" he asked, a reflex question. Hurrying to reassure his new recruit, the supervisor shook his head.

"Health problems." Rook fiddled his PADD a little, nervous at the mention of better jobs. Competition was fierce and the last thing he needed as a supervisor was to lose two employees in two days.

"I see." He really did. As they spoke, a human female, Ensign Smith, walked past. She glanced at Chakotay, but showed sign of recognizing him. Her eyes slid over him quickly as she continued on her way.

"Someone you know?" There was a tinge of relief in Rook's voice. Maybe if there were friends already established here, this recruit would be more inclined to stay.

Chakotay shook his head and forced himself to pay attention. "No, just an unusual species." 

_Oh well._ "We have a diverse workforce." They had arrived. He gestured to the machines around them, eager to get the man working. "Our thermionic converters operate on a rotating frequency, so they have to be closely monitored."

A flash of red hair caught his peripheral vision. Chakotay stared after Janeway, so amazed to see her calmly working that he forgot to listen to Rook.

"You'll be required to report your readings to the controller at a regular interval. Any questions?"

There were no restraints on her, no signs of coercion or threat. She was working as though she were just another worker in a power plant instead of the kidnapped captain of a stranded starship.

"Are you listening to me?" Rook asked, annoyed. He really wanted the position filled, but it wouldn't be any good if the man was unreliable. It didn't take a genius to see Kotay was looking more at the people around him than the equipment.

Chakotay snapped his head back around. It wouldn't do to get caught now. "Sorry, sir. I'm just excited to be here."

"Carry on." Rook cleared his throat and walked away, hoping for the best.

As soon as Rook was out of sight, Chakotay went over to Janeway's station. She glanced at him, but continued working until he spoke her name. "Kathryn."

Busy, she continued to work as the newcomer greeted her. She assumed he'd learned her name from one of her coworkers. "Yes?" 

"It's Chakotay." 

"I'm sorry?"

As she stared at him, he realized she didn't recognize him at all. The disguise wasn't that impressive. She should have seen through it. Besides, he'd told her his name. Still, she looked at him uncomprehendingly. He cleared his throat and changed tactics. "I'm new here. The supervisor said you would be a good person to speak to if I had any questions."

Unsettled by the way the man stared at her, Kathryn prompted him again. "What can I help you with?"

More shaken than he would let on, Chakotay cleared his throat and internally shook himself to attention. "Nothing. I just wanted to introduce myself."

"Oh." She looked a little closer at him. "What did you say your name was?"

"Chakotay." Then, because it clearly didn't ring any bells and the last thing he needed was for her to blow his cover by asking about a name that no one else would know, he corrected himself. "Actually, that's just what my friends call me. My employment file lists my given name, Amal Kotay."

She smiled. His dark gaze had been a bit too intense, but otherwise he seemed harmless. "Well, whatever your name is, I'm happy to help you any way I can."

Though Chakotay returned to his station and worked the rest of the day diligently, he kept a sharp eye out for other members of Voyager's crew. A handful of them passed him by, but any second looks were either due to his occasional, unpreventable staring or out of curiosity about him being a newcomer.

There was one person he hoped to see above all others. Seven made no appearance and at the end of the day, he was a little relieved, not eager to greet her as a stranger.

He didn't see her, but Annika did watch their newest employee from a distance. She usually only interacted with problem employees and though he sometimes seemed distracted, this Amal Kotay worked well enough that she left him alone.

 _Kotay_. Throughout the day as she moved from one station to another, monitoring the flow of work and efficiency of employees, the name tried to snag her memory. She'd read what little there was in his personnel file and was confident there was no reason to think she'd ever met him before so the sense of deja vu was unexpected. His picture likewise made her feel she ought to know him, but that was it.

Annika arrived at her last inspection victim of the day, a petite brunette named Celes who worked in the primary fusion chamber. The last one still on shift there for the day, she seemed even more daunted by the prospect of an efficiency inspection than most, alternating between staring up at Annika with wide eyes and focussing with all her might on her feet. It would have been amusing if it didn't interfere with Annika's work. Still, despite Celes' nerves, her station was programmed properly and monitors showed she'd functioned within expected parameters.

With a nod, Annika indicated Celes could go. She'd passed the efficiency review and to top it off, her shift was over. Celes passed Annika with an audible sigh.

Writing up her final report as she walked, Annika quickly moved through the emptying plant, going the opposite of most employees. She reached the set of doors leading to supervisor offices. A handful were occupied with supervisors reviewing reports and logs, making lists for themselves for the next day. Their need for base employees so dire, most offices were empty. Nearer to the end, Annika knocked on a door and entered Rook's office.

Rook took the PADD with her report from her. "How was it today?"

"We came closer to our quota."

Rook's smile grew. "Excellent! And how about our new employees?"

"I did not speak with them yet."

"Tomorrow?"

"Perhaps. I observed their activities for a short period while I conducted my regular duties."

"And?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "They seem efficient enough."

In good spirits, Rook laughed. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." He looked at her a little more seriously. "And how are you feeling?"

"I am functioning sufficiently, but will appreciate a full regeneration cycle," she admitted.

"Well, then I won't hold you up. Get something to eat and a good night's sleep." He waved her away, pleased with the world in general now.

[Umali's Bar]

Tom was tending the bar when Neelix walked in. His friendly personality still intact, it took no effort for Neelix to strike up a conversation as he waited for Chakotay to meet him.

"What about you," asked Neelix, "ever worked on a ship?" He kept his tone light, as though he truly expected no particular answer. However, having heard the same sort of responses all day, he had an idea what was coming.

"Oh, no. Space travel makes me sick."

Neelix smiled as best he could at the ridiculous statement. And yet, it made sense since the Quarren government wouldn't want Tom to fly ships, not when he might make an escape, and he had no penchant for engineering. 

There was laughter in the corner. Neelix glanced over to see B'Elanna with another couple he didn't recognize. He noticed Tom's eyes travelling that way too. Following a train of thought, he took a nonchalant sip of his drink and glanced around. "So, do you know most of the people that come in here?" 

"A lot of them." And yet his confirmation was blasé, showing no indication that he actually knew the origin of those around him, who B'Elanna was even. "This is a great place to work."

If it hadn't been so serious, Neelix would have laughed, the refrain so common now that it was comical. "Seems like it.

"I could put in a good word for you to my employer," said Tom, cheerfully.

"Ah, Neelix." Chakotay glanced up and did a double take when he saw Tom behind the bar.

"I was wondering when you'd get here." Neelix waved between him and Tom. "Amal Kotay, this is my new friend, Tom Paris."

"What can I get you?"

Chakotay was getting too used to being unrecognized to feel much surprise that Tom accepted the farce so easily. He settled against the slab of metal between them and nodded to the drink in Neelix's hand. "That looks good."

Tom nodded and moved away to mix it.

Neelix glanced around and spoke in a lowered voice, Chakotay inclining his head to hear. "I was assigned to the Primary Fusion Chamber along with Mulchaey and Celes. Neither of them recognised me." 

Chakotay sighed. "Let me guess. They really love their jobs."

Neelix shook his head sadly. "It's like they've all been programmed to be happy here."

"No one recognized me either. It's a safe bet they're not going to leave willingly." He thought of Janeway, who looked genuinely happy to be at work. He'd also observed her interact with a man called Jaffen. The brief moments he'd seen them made him suspicious.

"Any sign of—"

Tom came back, sliding Chakotay his drink. "Here you go." 

Through the crowd came Kathryn and Jaffen. Jaffen kept an eye out for a table, but Kathryn pulled him to the bar so she could greet Amal. "Hi, how was your first day?"

Chakotay forced a smile. "Not bad."

She glanced at the unusual alien next to him. "Would you and your friend like to join us?"

"That would be nice." He didn't really want to, but the closer they got and the more intel he gathered, the better.

"Um, actually I was hoping we could eat alone tonight." Jaffen glanced down at Kathryn and then up at the other men with a slightly embarrassed grimace.

"Maybe another time," said Chakotay with a smile. It wouldn't do any good to look sour and it would give them a chance to scope out others. A quick look around confirmed it was a popular place with plant workers, several Voyager crewmembers.

As Katherine and Jaffen moved away, Neelix and Chakotay sipped their drinks and kept an eye on the crowd, neither truly sure what they were going to do next.

"So," said Neelix, "any sign of Seven?"

"No." Chakotay didn't bother pretending to be anything other than disappointed. Neelix put a hand on his shoulder and Chakotay gave a tiny smile to show he was fine. He took in a steading breath. "The plant is a big place, though. I'm sure she's in there somewhere."

"I'm sure too." Before he left for the day, Celes mentioned she had to stay behind for an efficiency review. Neelix could think of only one person who would be qualified to apply such an exam. When he mentioned the exchange, Chakotay laughed.

"Yeah, that sounds like her." It was unfortunate to think she was not immune to whatever the Quarren government did to the others, but at least they knew where she was.

B'Elanna got up from her table and after a brief exchange with Tom, she waddled outside.

Neelix and Chakotay looked at each other. They still weren't fully sure what their goal was, but such an opportunity couldn't be allowed to pass them by. They stood to follow her out.

The door opened and admitted a familiar blonde.

Chakotay stopped short.

Annika looked around, a little overwhelmed by the mesh of bodies. It took her a moment as she looked for a table until she realized she'd drawn some attention. A man with dark hair and a heavy brow was outright staring at her. His friend, a Talaxian nudged him and she recognized them as the new plant employees, Amal Kotay and Neelix. She had no time to really consider them as a small table opened up and she hurried to take it.

The elbow to the stomach Neelix gave him was necessary just to get him to breathe again. Chakotay longed to follow the tug in his heart after Seven, but Neelix nodded to the door.

"We know where she is. We might not get another chance like this," Neelix whispered quickly.

Chakotay sighed, all too aware that Neelix was right. Seven looked fine to him, just a little uncomfortable, which was likely due to the crowd and awkwardness of being there alone. He nodded and they followed B'Elanna out, hurrying to catch up.

Thankfully, B'Elanna's waddle slowed her down considerably. With almost no crime, she also didn't need to worry about hurrying through the dark and deserted streets. Even with Chakotay's hesitation, he and Neelix were able to catch up and devise a way to cut her off.

Neelix walked as close behind B'Elanna as he dared, hoping she wouldn't notice his footfalls, or at least not think anything of them if she did hear. Some of his nervousness settled as he saw Chakotay appear ahead through the dark. This was it.

The sidewalk was wide enough, but Chakotay made sure to bump into B'Elanna, who was clearly distracted by her thoughts. "Oh, excuse me." 

"No," she shook her head a little. "It was my fault. I should watch where I'm going."

"B'Elanna?" He knew she wouldn't recognize him so he pretended to be surprised to see her.

"How do you know my name?" 

"Don't you remember me?"

B'Elanna narrowed her eyes at him, but found nothing to either alarm or excite her.

"No, I'm sorry, but I don't."

"What if I told you we're old friends?"

B'Elanna shook her head. "No, I don't know you."

"I know it sounds strange, but I can prove it to you." Knowing such a ploy wouldn't work with her, Chakotay kept his tone soothing and his senses ready for a fight.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I'm late for work." She tried to hurry away, alarmed now, but the larger man grabbed her around the shoulders and dragged her off the main street.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Chakotay did his best to keep hold of B'Elanna without grabbing her where it would harm the baby. It was harder than he expected.

"Let go of me!" B'Elanna struggled. Despite her awkwardness, the man didn't hold her too tight or in a way that fully prevented her from struggling. It was unexpected and unnoticed by her as she believed she was fighting for her life.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He grunted as one of her flailing limbs connected with his side. 

Wriggling in his loose grip, B'Elanna managed to turn around and throw a punch in the man's face. He stumbled back a step, allowing her to shout out. "Security, help!"

Neelix stepped in to help hold onto the struggling engineer as Chakotay called back to Harry and the Doctor. "Chakotay to Voyager. We've got B'Elanna. Lock on to Neelix's signal and transport them to Sickbay."

Harry acknowledged the command just as two security guards appeared at the end of the alley.

"Let her go."

Neelix and the still struggling B'Elanna disappeared in the familiar shimmer of the Voyager transporter.

 _Shit._ It was just Chakotay and security now. "Harry, I need an emergency transport now!"

"Sorry, Commander, we're under attack. I had to raise shields."

There was nothing for it but to run.

[Voyager - Bridge]

Voyager rocked as the Quarren ships fired. Security had alerted them to the kidnapping and the transporter told them where to look for Voyager.

Unwilling to give up immediately, Harry tried to remain in the area and get the Commander off the planet.

"Well?" The Doctor looked over.

It was no use. Harry shook his head, confirming for the Doctor that there was only so much they could do. If only they could get a direct hit on their attackers, they might be able to help Chakotay or at least escape with their hide intact. "I can't penetrate their shields." 

The Doctor thought a moment, his programming sending suggestions faster than any human could think. "Maybe we don't have to. The battle of Vorkado, it's in my tactical database. A Romulan captain disabled two attacking vessels by creating a photonic shock wave between the ships." 

"How'd he do that?"

"Watch and learn."

[Umali's Bar]

Chakotay slipped inside, shuffling along the edge of the wall to a table. No one seemed to have noticed either his absence or his re-entrance.

He found an empty seat in the corner and settled down, taking a subtle look through the tear in his clothes. The fight between him and security hadn't been long and he'd come out mostly the victor, but not unscathed. Blood and deep bruising mottled his arm.

A quick step and approaching body made Chakotay look up, clamping a hand around the wound so it wasn't noticeable. "Kathryn."

She didn't sit and her gaze was only partly on him, her eyes flickering from him to Jaffen a few times. "Listen, I'm sorry about my friend."

"Excuse me?" He couldn't think of what she meant.

"Jaffen." She glanced back at the man now chatting with friends who'd joined them. "He wasn't very nice when I invited you to join us."

"Ah." It seemed there was something between them, but the pain in his shoulder and arm made it difficult to care or pay attention.

Kathryn, finally noticing Kotay's discomfort, leaned over, her brows furrowed in concern. "Are you all right?"

He forced himself to smile. "I'm just a little tired. First day on a new job."

Kathryn laughed and looked over at Jaffen again. "I know how that can be. Well, I just wanted to let you know you're more than welcome to sit with us."

Across the room, Seven stood. Her plate was empty and the second chair at her table still devoid of company.

"Actually," said Chakotay, thinking quickly, "I think I'll be going home, get some rest."

"Well, if you change your mind, we're celebrating."

Chakotay watched Seven pay Umali at the bar, only just remembering that Kathryn had said something. "What's the occasion?" 

"I've decided to move in with Jaffen."

"Congratulations." He smiled again and Kathryn hurried back to Jaffen.

Seven left the bar.

Yerid, a middle-aged Quarren man, rarely had anything as serious as a kidnapping to deal with. He was used to dealing with frauds and minor thefts at most. Two years ago, there had been a murder when one mentally unstable individual killed his wife after discovering she'd been unfaithful. That was the worst crime to date in Yerid's territory. There were multiple jurisdictions in the country, let alone on the planet. However, they all boasted a similarly low level of crime. They were desperate for workers everywhere and as a result, crime was met with fervent investigation and swift justice.

The bar was full when he entered, a wide variety of species greeting his quick eyes, but not the one he was looking for.

"Can I help you?" Tom smiled at the thin man as he approached the crowded bar.

"Yerid, criminal investigations." He flashed his badge.

Tom's eyes widened a little at the introduction, but answered truthfully. "We run an honest business."

Yerid shook his head, his eyes still swivelling around the room. "I'm looking for two people who disappeared after leaving here earlier this evening. One was a young pregnant woman."

"B'Elanna?" Tom's heart dropped. His fear was confirmed when he glanced at the employee photo Yerid held out. _But… Who would do that to her?_ It made no sense.

"You know her?" This was unexpected. Yerid's gaze sharpened. Could this young man have anything to do with the incident? A short assessment of the worry on Tom's face calmed any suspicion Yerid had.

"I knew I should have walked her to the transport." Tom supported himself against the bar, wishing he'd done more to ensure her safety, but she'd been so confident and there had been nothing to alarm him.

Yerid's eyes narrowed. "Why? Did you think someone might try to hurt her?" _Or is it just your own misplaced guilt?_

"This city is supposed to be safe!"

Yerid hid his smile at the bartender's unexpected devotion. He pocketed the PADD with the woman's photo. "The person with her was described as short, with mottled skin, facial hair." 

"Sounds like someone who was in here earlier, a worker from the plant." And yet he had trouble believing the cheerful, open man could really have anything to do with a kidnapping.

"Do you know his name?" What luck, thought Yerid. Despite the seriousness, it was turning out to be a remarkably simple case.

"Neelix, I think." Tom's head was a blur with conflicting emotions. "He had a friend. It was Amal… something."

Better luck could not have been wished for. "Can you describe him?" 

"I don't have to, he's sitting right over—" Tom pointed at the chair he'd seen Amal take when he returned, but it now sat empty. Tom didn't know what to think.

[Street]

Annika had excellent hearing. It took no effort to know someone was behind her. She had the distinct and inexplicable sense that whoever it was, was deliberately following her.

There was an alley up ahead. She turned down it and tucked herself into the darkness.

The footsteps hesitated only a second and then followed.

A male figure drew close, his head turning here and there in an attempt to see where she'd gone in the dark.

She moved fast, pushing her forearm against the man's throat and forcing him against the opposite wall. He gasped in surprise, then struggled to breath. Despite the shock of the attack, his only act of resistance was to place a hand on her elbow, not even an effective means of stopping her from breaking his trachea if she chose to do so.

"Seven," the man's deep voice choked out.

She loosened her grip, but didn't let go entirely. There was a long moment of silence as Annika struggled to understand what this meant. _I don't believe you are who you think you are._ "Who are you?"

"My name is Commander Chakotay," he said. It was a big risk and an enormous act of trust since no one remembered him. He'd followed her only with the hope of seeing where she lived so he could find her later. He'd not intended to explain himself at all. However, given their positions, he felt there was no alternative. He peered through the dark into her blue eyes, which were just barely visible. To his immense surprise, her grip on him loosened even further.

"Chakotay? You disguised yourself and created an alias Amal Kotay." She could see better than him. A photo was very different from seeing someone in the flesh. His face was different, but he was still recognizable. Blinking a little, she stared into his eyes. Rimmed with soft, black lashes, the dark chocolate irises were exactly what she'd dreamed about, what Tuvok had shown her.

"Yes." His breathing quickened, his mind cloudy with hope and adrenaline. "Do you remember me?"

"No. Maybe." She took a deep, steadying breath. "No, but I see snippets."

"What do you see?"

"I…" It was harder than she thought to vocalize the strange dreams and visions she'd seen, especially the ones of this Chakotay.

Acting on instinct, Chakotay moved away from the wall, reaching out a hand – he almost doubled over as pain bloomed from his shoulder and spread down his arm. He'd forgotten his injury from the scuffle.

"You're injured." It wasn't a question. 

"Yes." He breathed deep, trying to steady himself. "I was trying to rescue a crewmember and ran into a little trouble."

The statement should have made her question his sanity or at least call security, but given the things she'd seen, Annika could only believe him. "Come with me."

Chakotay's heart beat fast against his ribcage, daring to hope.


	21. Chapter 21

Last (expected) chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

 **Workforce Pt 2**

[Quarren Medical Facility]

Tuvok lay unconscious and strapped to a bed. He could not have moved or escaped even if he had a way off Quarra.

"Acute anxiety, depression…" Dr. Ravoc, a young man with dark hair and a kind thought for pretty much everyone, shook his head over the list on the PADD. He was saddened to think how troubled the patient must have been and wondered how long the poor man suffered these delusions. "When I interviewed him, he insisted that he's not who he's supposed to be, that we've stolen his katra, whatever that is."

"Conclusions?" asked Dr. Kadan, his voice purposefully gruff. He was the senior physician on the unit and took his position of mentor seriously. He had once been accused of being too military in his application of lessons and his expectations of younger staff. The accusation had never bothered him, nor had any of the many others. His refrain in response would likely be inscribed on his tombstone. _It's all for the greater good._

"Tri-lobe regression complex? Polar-affective disorder?"

"Neuro-psychiatry isn't a guessing game, Dr. Ravoc." Kadan stood practically at attention at the younger man's elbow, the two of them opposites in almost every way. Where Kadan was older and blond, perhaps a little rounder than was good for him, Ravoc was young and brown haired, slender and possessing a kind aura that put people at ease.

Ravoc spoke the conclusion he'd feared to say aloud. It was, after all, a rare and serious condition. Indeed, the disease's name had been coined by Kadan himself only twenty years ago. "Dysphoria syndrome."

Kadan smiled. "You have been studying my research."

Ravoc breathed a sigh of relief that his mentor didn't laugh him out of the building. "According to your work, the condition is very rare."

Kadan nodded. "It is. I've treated this man before. Apparently, he has suffered a relapse. Recommended treatment?"

Ravoc didn't need to consult his notes to know what Kadan would suggest in this case. "Engrammatic resequencing is typically indicated."

"You seem sceptical," said Kadan.

"Resequencing is a radical procedure." He preferred simple solutions to surgeries whenever possible.

"If he had a malignant tumour, would you be afraid to cut it out?" Kadan asked, his unwavering eyes on Ravoc.

"No."

Kadan nodded. "This syndrome is just as insidious. It requires aggressive treatment. Get started."

[Annika's Apartment]

Since she normally was at home when it was dark, the lights were set dimmed and to come on automatically.

"Your place is… nice." Chakotay looked around, one hand holding his injured arm as he glanced around the minimalist space.

"It seemed pointless to decorate when I spend so little time her," Annika explained. She moved to the kitchen where she kept her medical kit.

"No need to explain. It's comfortable, I'm sure." He sat on the couch and watched her as she expertly moved through the kitchen.

The medical kit was under the sink. She snapped it up and grabbed a few towels as well, wetting them.

"How long have you been here?" Chakotay watched her.

Annika brought the items to the couch, setting them and herself down on the metal coffee table there. She began wiping away the blood from Chakotay's arm through his torn shirt before she settled on a response. "Why don't you tell me?"

"About a week." He watched her absorb that with a calm nod.

"Who is Seven of Nine?" The blood from the wound on his arm was cleaned, but more came from his shoulder.

"That depends." Chakotay removed his jacket and then his shirt at her indication. The simple act required her help since his muscles were stiffening around the wounds. He cool hands touched his skin only fleetingly, but it was enough to make him shiver.

"Depends on what?" She picked up a new towel and began cleaning the cuts on his muscled shoulder. It took some effort to remain unmoved by his change in clothing, but she managed it.

"On what you remember."

"What should I remember?"

He laughed and then grimaced as the movement caused him pain. "Stubborn as always."

"Careful." She'd noticed his pain.

"All right. What if I told you that you are from a starship called Voyager that was attacked and its crew pilfered to be workers here?"

It was absurd. "Go on."

He sighed. "I was with two others on an away mission. When we returned to the rendezvous point, we discovered that Voyager had been attacked. We contacted the Quarren government after locating our people's life signs here. The government claimed they had no idea what we were talking about and that our people didn't know us."

"You think I'm from this starship?"

"Yes. Seven of Nine was your Borg designation. It's what everyone still calls you."

"Mr. Tuvok called me by that name."

"Tuvok remembers too?" His hopeful eyes sought hers, but she glanced away.

"I'm afraid his situation is more complex." She explained how Tuvok attacked her and as a consequence was taken away by security. "I'm sorry."

It wasn't an ideal situation, but he shook his head, unable to blame her when she was clearly brainwashed. "It's not your fault. It was a mind meld, that's what he was trying to do with you."

"I will attempt to determine his location tomorrow," she said, running the dermal regenerator over his wounds.

"Then you believe me?"

Annika hesitated. It all sounded too outlandish to be true, too much for her to wholeheartedly give him her assurance. And yet hadn't she already chosen to believe him? Flashes of her Borg life danced in her mind randomly and he was, after all, shirtless and in her apartment. If she didn't believe him, she should call security. She remained seated.

Chakotay felt his heart clench as the moment stretched and she said nothing. Her eyes rose a little to his forehead.

"Your face is different."

"A disguise was necessary." It occurred to him that he'd offered her no proof of his identity. Chakotay was surprised how much trust she'd shown. He looked down at the regenerator still in her hand. He had an idea how to provide some measure of confirmation.

His hand was warm and gentle as he took the dermal regenerator from her, his fingers lingering on her skin. "What are you doing?"

"I can't go back to work. There's no need for a disguise anymore."

"Do you remember a blue flower?" she asked on a whim as he raised the tool.

The question caught him off guard. He nodded, immediately realizing what she was thinking of. "Delphinium scaposum. It's a blue desert flower. We saw it in the program you put together for…"

"What?"

He shook his head. It would be too much for her to believe him if he claimed to be her fiancé. "Later I'll explain."

Annika frowned, but didn't say anything more as he waved the regenerator over his own face. The ridges along his forehead disappeared, replaced with a tattoo over his left eye. She felt a flash of amusement that they would have matching ocular adornments.

"Better?" He smiled at her, carefully watching as recognition, wonder and confusion all passed across her face. "Do you remember?"

 _It's true. It's really him._ He looked just as he had in the visions Tuvok's mind meld created. But that meant everything she remembered about her life was a lie, that flashes of indistinct visions were more real than reality. It also meant she was missing an enormous chunk of her memory still. How was that possible?

"Seven?" Her silence and unfocused gaze worried him.

"I…" She stood quickly. "I don't have a bed, but you can sleep on the couch."

"Okay." He watched her disappear into the bedroom.

He considered going after her, but felt that would be counterproductive. She needed to absorb this information.

With a sigh, he fell back onto the couch, pulling a blanket down around him. His last thought before falling asleep was that he hoped she didn't change her mind and turn him in.

[Power Distribution Plant]

Borg drones moved like ants with purpose along endless corridors and catwalks. All was black and bathed in green light. The drones were just that, mindless machines moving together in accordance with their programming to obtain a common goal.

Annika blinked and the image returned to the industrial pipes and walkways of the Quarren plant.

Stepping from her alcove, working in astrometrics, Borg, candlelit dinners… The same images had invaded her consciousness during regeneration. They intruded even now, as she stood at the entrance of her supervisor's office.

Forgetting herself between the visions and flashes of present reality, Annika shook her head and strode heedlessly into the office. "I want to know the status of employee eight five eight three."

"Maybe it's different where you come from," said Rook, "but here it's polite to say good morning."

"Good morning," she parroted without feeling.

Rook shook his head, but went to do as she bid. He accessed the information from the personnel computer terminal on the wall. "Eight five eight three, the man who was removed by security?"

Annika nodded.

"Hmm." Rook didn't like what he read. "He's been hospitalised."

Hospitalized… His records would be sealed then to all but supervisors as per privacy rules. She'd have to figure out where he was held in a more roundabout way. "Is there any reason to believe that his condition might be contagious?"

Rook gave her a quizzical glance.

"He came in contact with other workers," she said, thinking fast. "Some of them have expressed concern."

"Well, tell them not worry." A glance had told him that Tuvok was still at the Central Quarren Medical Facility, which meant he wasn't quarantined, which meant his disease was mental, not viral or bacterial.

Annika, reading over his shoulder, memorized the information and came to the same conclusion: Tuvok would be at the Central Medical Facility.

"Excuse me, am I intruding?" Yerid glanced around, his eyes sliding politely away from the blond woman's metal adornments though his curiosity burned.

Rook looked past Annika, who stepped to the side, to see a man he didn't recognize in the doorway. "What can we do for you?"

"My name is Yerid. I'm investigating the disappearance of two of your employees."

"Who?"

"Their names are Neelix and Torres."

Annika's head swivelled to Yerid, her ears metaphorically perking. "Both of them failed to report for work today."

Yerid took out a PADD, now positive he was on the right trail. As he took the opportunity to look at her more closely, he was a little struck by her beauty, but he hid it well. "What about this man?"

Annika didn't need to look to know who it would be. She did take a good look at the PADD anyway. Not doing so would be highly suspicious. "Employee nine three six three." She swallowed past the lump of guilt. "He didn't report for his shift either."

"I'd like to see his personnel file," said Yerid, reluctantly returning his attention to Rook, "and I'll need to interview anyone who may know where he is."

"Why are you looking for him?" She ignored the sharp glare of her supervisor as they both looked at her.

"I believe he's responsible for the disappearance of the other two," said Yerid. It didn't occur to him that her concern might be more than that of a colleague.

"For what reason?"

"Pardon?" Despite her somewhat haughty tone, he was happy for the chance to keep talking with and looking at her. Though he was still curious about the metal implants, it took less and less effort to look beyond them.

"What motive could he have for kidnapping two people?"

Yerid shook his head, amused. "That's what I'm trying to find out."

Rook nodded for Annika to leave, aware she had work to do. "I'll get you those files, Inspector."

Annika left the office, relieved to be out of sight. She wanted to settle down somewhere to gather her thoughts, but that would look suspicious so she settled for walking on autopilot.

"Sorry about her, she's had a rough few days," Rook explained to Yerid.

Shrugging and a little sad the woman left, Yerid gestured to the computer and Rook obligingly moved to obtain the records he needed.

Central Medical, thought Annika. She couldn't be positive without getting into official records, but Tuvok was likely in the main psychology ward. That assumption didn't help too much since she knew next to nothing about it.

Workers dodged her she walked, going about her info gathering and endless reviews. No one dared break her concentration to ask if something was wrong… her stony expression dissuaded all but the bravest from interrupting her routine.

Finally, the day ended.

People began streaming from the plant, but Annika waited. Pretending to finish a report, Annika watched until Rook left his office. She knew his routine, that he would be gone a minimum of eight minutes thirty-two seconds.

Quickly and quietly, moving as though she had been summoned to the office instead of there to skulk, Annika entered Rook's office. She went to the personnel terminal. "Display the personnel file for employee eight five eight three."

The computer answered in its usual coldness. "Access restricted. Security clearance verified."

She sighed in frustration. She didn't have time to force her way past the security even if she knew how. "Display all medical and historical data for this employee's species."

"Data unavailable."

"List all files accessed by this employee since he's been here." She would get whatever information she possibly could.

"Personnel files. Employee eight five eight two. Nozowo, Kashimuro. Employee eight five eight four. Janeway, Kathryn…"

 _Interesting_.

"…Employee eight five eight five. McKenzie, William. Employee eight five eight six. Hansen, Annika. Employee eight five eight seven. Anderson, Lydia. Employee eight five eight eight, Torres, B'Elanna. Employee…"

The computer continued listing off names, but she was no longer listening. _Annika Hansen._

"Access personnel file of employee eight five eight six." It was her own file, which would give her access rights by default.

[Annika's Apartment]

Chakotay, despite being confined to the small and drab apartment all day, was far from bored. Rather, he used his time to research Quarren society and the legal system. He initially assumed Tuvok would be taken by security and then arrested, held in some sort of detention centre. However, after review, he wasn't so sure. It seemed most crimes were treated as mental illness. Only the most heinous and unfixable of criminals ended up before a judge. All others ended up…

"The Central Medical Facility," Annika said as soon as she entered. She threw her PADD on the counter and joined him at the single computer terminal, which sat in place of a window.

"Pardon?"

"Mr. Tuvok. He's being held there for assessment and then treatment."

"They think he's sick," said Chakotay with a nod. That mirrored his research.

"Perhaps." Annika stood in front of the man in her apartment – a man who claimed he was from a starship with a kidnapped crew and was wanted by Quarra police for kidnapping – and gazed down at him, assessing. Despite the absurdity of it, the evidence was seemingly in his favour.

"What?" Chakotay asked gently, already aware of which train of thought she was on. He knew she was hesitating, doubting her initial choice about him. It was in her nature to question things.

"An inspector came by the plant today. He is looking for you in connection with the kidnapping of two employees."

"B'Elanna and Neelix." There was no point denying it.

Annika quirked her head.

Chakotay sighed. "I don't know what to do to prove it, but I assure you that I am who I say I am. B'Elanna didn't remember us, but she is a member of the Voyager crew, kidnapped and brought here to be a worker."

"Mr. Neelix?"

"He came here with me to gather information on our missing people and help rescue them."

"She didn't remember you because her memory was tampered with."

Chakotay sat still, realizing this was not a question.

"As was I."

"Yes."

"I accessed my personnel file and located other records that indicate one hundred thirty-eight skilled employees, myself included, all began to work at the plant on the same day."

He sighed in relief, believing now there was no danger of her turning him in to authorities. Even brainwashed, she was not the type to dismiss proof. "Our crew."

"We were all processed by Division 6, Neuropathology," she said with a nod. "Whatever they are doing to make us forget, it's being done there."

"Great. How do we get in?"

Annika shook her head and moved to sit on the couch. "I don't think it's wise for us to attempt such a thing on our own."

Chakotay joined her, forgetting in his excitement at such a breakthrough to maintain extra distance. She stiffened a little as their sides touched, but she didn't move away and he didn't notice. "I hate to tell you, but we're kind of on our own here."

"Not necessarily." She glanced at him and quickly away, aware that her next proposal would be met with criticism.

"What?" He already didn't like that she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I wish to approach the inspector investigating B'Elanna's kidnapping."

"You've lost your mind."

"Yes, which is why this course of action is necessary."

"Not funny." He sighed. "What makes you think he doesn't already know she doesn't belong here?"

"If he was aware of her true identity, he would not have needed to ask why she was kidnapped, or who by. He would be investigating how you and Mr. Neelix penetrated their security."

"Fine, but we don't know exactly who in the government is involved. What if he turns me in, believing it's the right thing to do?"

"I do not need to mention you, not immediately." She took a steadying breath as he waited for an explanation. "I have continued to have flashbacks since Mr. Tuvok – er – attempted to mind meld with me. That with the records I located should be enough to persuade Det. Yerid to look into where we all came from."

"You really trust him?" Chakotay asked, watching her carefully. Her face relaxed and an indulgent smile graced her lips. It calmed him.

"Yes." She thought about it. "He seems honourable." Even from the short interaction she had with him, she could tell Yerid was a reliable and honest individual.

"Fine." He sighed, leaning back into the couch. Unthinkingly, he threw an arm around the back of her seat and gave in. "I trust your judgement."

She glanced at him, wondering if she should broach a point of curiosity she'd wondered about for awhile.

"What?"

Her eyes flickered briefly to his arm across the back of her couch. She sat so straight that it was really nowhere near her. And yet, he felt so close. She looked away. "Nothing."

"No, there's something bothering you. What is it?"

She sighed, staring straight ahead. "How do you know that?"

"Because I know you."

"And how well do you know me?"

He hesitated.

"What was the nature of our relationship?"

It was Chakotay's turn to look away. "Well…"

A chirping interrupted.

"What is that?" Annika's acute hearing directed her attention to Chakotay's hand.

"Voyager is trying to contact me." He answered, "Chakotay here."

"Are you okay, Commander?"

Chakotay sighed in relief. "It's good to hear your voice, Harry. I'm fine and safe, for the time being."

Annika gave a small, reassuring smile when he looked at her. She would not betray him.

"Can you get me out of here?"

There was a slight hesitation before Harry answered. "No, sir, we're eight light years away."

That didn't make sense. Even with the communicator embedded in his hand, Voyager had needed to be much closer than that to get a signal through the security field.

"We're using a triaxialating frequency on a covariant subspace band," the Doctor broke in. "It was B'Elanna's idea."

"B'Elanna?" Annika spoke the name quietly so that only Chakotay heard. She met Chakotay's eyes, her own wide with surprise. If it was true, then any last speckles of doubt she had could not stand.

"I take it she's feeling better." Chakotay failed to hide a smile. It was honestly better news than he'd hoped for. It meant whatever happened to the crew was reversible. Considering the woman in front of him, this was very good news indeed.

"Yes," said the Doctor, "she's responded well to treatment."

Harry's voice came through again. "Have you located anyone else from the crew?"

Chakotay tried not to hold his breath, but his chest was tight with uncertainty. What would she think of this conversation? "As a matter of fact, I'm sitting with Seven right now."

There was a long pause as the men on Voyager tried to think of a response, mindful that she was listening as well.

Finally, Harry broke the silence with a question that only scratched the surface of what he wanted to know. "How is she?"

"Better than expected," Chakotay answered, correctly reading her pressed lips as an indication that she was uncertain what to say. He smiled at her, correctly reading the playing shadows of concern and amazement as they moved across her face. "This is a lot to believe without much proof."

"Yeah, B'Elanna took a little convincing too," said Harry. "Does she remember anything?"

"Not really. It's a long story." No need to get into the issue with Tuvok. "How soon can you get back into transporter range?"

"We need a couple more days to finish repairs. What about the shield grid?"

"I have an idea how to shut it down."

"We might need assistance," said Annika. Breaking into Division 6 would be hard enough. The power distribution plant was a vital service, which meant it was even more heavily guarded than any medical labs.

"We'll discuss it," Chakotay said. In the meantime, the conversation was running long, which increased the chances of the signal being compromised. "Until I get back to you, let's maintain comm. silence, just in case we're being monitored."

"Understood. Good luck, Commander." A small hesitation. "Seven, I'm glad you're okay."

The link clicked off. It left an echoing silence in its wake.

"So…" Chakotay wasn't sure where to begin.

"I've been wondering…"

"Yes?" He eyed her warily. She could ask any number of complex questions which he may or may not wish to answer just then.

"You are the commander on this Voyager."

"Yes."

"I assumed the captain was still onboard."

"Ah, no, she's actually on this planet."

"Working in the power distribution plant?"

He quirked his head, surprised at her accurate guess.

"It explains why you chose to infiltrate the plant first. I assume you were trying to make contact with her."

"Right again, but she doesn't remember me even a little."

"Which employee is she?"

Chakotay hesitated, wondering where her train of thought was headed this time. "Why?"

"We will require assistance. Perhaps we can convince your – the captain to help, maybe remind her of her true identity," she said.

"If it weren't for Tuvok's mind meld, you wouldn't recognize me at all either. Captain Janeway had no idea who I was and I doubt she'll be easily convinced." He shook his head, remembering a dozen instances where wise arguments fell on the Captain's deaf ears. "She's always been more stubborn than a mule."

Annika filed the name of Janeway in her memory for later, not convinced that they should or could give up the possibility of approaching her. To Chakotay's face, however, she nodded and pretended to agree. "Very well. One more question."

"Yes?"

"What was the nature of our relationship?"

Chakotay laughed, because that was the only thing he could do. Not wanting to feel the sting of rejection if he explained and she denied it, he told a little falsehood. "We're very good friends."

"Oh." She supposed that could explain the closeness she felt, even the visions of dinners she had. Still, suspicions remained.

[Quarren Medical Centre - Outside]

The building was industrial, just like everything else on the planet. Its grey, nondescript outside masked its terrifying truth. It also made it more difficult to plan a break in.

Chakotay, sporting new clothes he'd replicated at Seven's apartment, circled the building. He scanned it as he went, hoping to glean some intelligence on its security and any possible weakness. So far it wasn't promising.

A group of people exited the building and Chakotay ducked down an alley. No one was likely to recognize him, but there was no need to be careless.

Chakotay had an extra reason to hide from people, which was that he'd snuck out. Seven flat out refused to help him sneak into the power plant and insisted he remain in the apartment. However, besides feeling antsy at the confinement, he was feeling the pressure of time as his crew settled into new and utterly false lives. After she left, he hurried out to do recon and hoped to both be back before she returned and have something useful.

Little did he know just how sensitive the centre's security system had been set.

[Umali's Bar]

True to her word, Annika contacted Yerid and arranged to meet him at the bar. Despite being popular with plant workers, she was certain it was a safe location to talk. It would also be easy to explain away should anyone take special notice of them conversing.

He was on time, something Annika appreciated. She'd already found a table and gestured him over.

"You said you might have information for me," said Yerid without preamble. When he'd first received her message, he'd thought their meeting might be of a more personal nature, but the set of her stiff shoulders cut off any hope of that. He stifled his disappointment with the hope she really did have good intel for him.

"You may want to sit down," she said, more certain than ever that it was a good decision to trust him. She knew she wasn't a great judge of character, but it was impossible not to believe this man was good and honest. "I accessed some personnel files at the plant."

Yerid listened in growing confusion as she relayed what she'd seen, omitting only Chakotay's involvement and the flashbacks. "Why would this Tuvok be collecting information about his co-workers?"

"One of the people he researched is B'Elanna Torres. They both began working at the plant on the same day along with one hundred thirty-six others, including myself."

He shook his head, not getting her point. "What's unusual about that?"

"More than a hundred skilled employees, most of them the same species, acquired in a single day, during a labour shortage." Her incredulous tone would have clued even the most ignorant person onto the fact that such a phenomenon was beyond rational statistics. Yerid was neither ignorant nor willfully blind.

"All right, that is strange." His fingers tapped out a nervous rhythm as he contemplated this.

"There's more. Every one of them was processed with the Central Hospital when they arrived."

"It's routine for new workers to be examined."

"Yes, by Quarantine Control, but all of them were processed through Division six."

"You came through Neuropathology?" No, that didn't seem right at all. She had no indicators of being unstable and no matter how good the doctors were in Division 6, there was no way a patient of _theirs_ would make it to such a trusted position as _hers_. An intake process started at the hospital, but they filtered patients to more suitable resources, and as a rule Neuropathology dealt with only the most extreme cases of mental illnesses, the things everyone else deemed unfixable.

"That's what the records indicate, but I don't remember being there."

"You don't?" That wasn't something one would forget. He watched closely for signs of deceit.

"Not at all." She shook her head. "I remember arriving on this planet, but I only remember a short time in Quarantine Control." Even that memory was seeming increasingly shaky the more she examined it.

He took a moment just to examine her, to confirm his next choice would be the right one. She was utterly serious and convincing and, most importantly, sane. Yerid was not one to proclaim a habit of trusting something as intangible as pure intuition. However, he could not ignore either the logic in her argument or the way his conscience prodded him to trust. "What do you expect me to do?"

"You can start by interviewing Mr Tuvok." She'd not yet given up hope that he could be found and used to provide evidence against whoever had done this to them. "You'll find him at the hospital."

Yerid gave a small sigh, but nodded just the same. "I'll do what I can."

[Annika's Apartment]

She'd been gone less time than expected thanks to Yerid's easy acceptance of her explanation. Still, she was tired and eager to spend the evening grilling Commander Chakotay on whatever questions he would answer. Specifically, she hoped to understand what he meant when he said they were good friends. Though her memories were shaky and fragmented, there was enough there to doubt his claim.

Since the moment they'd spoken, Annika could feel something intangible between them, an undercurrent of familiarity and some other feeling she had difficulty naming. She thought the unnamed emotion could be affection, but had no memory to compare it to and it was difficult to follow such a feeling when she couldn't remember Chakotay fully. Still, a spring of affection coiled around her heart and increased every time she saw him.

Her tired step became hurried and excited as she drew closer to her door and the promise of seeing Chakotay again.

The door slid open. Before she had the chance to make it over the threshold, Annika could tell something was wrong. The apartment, despite having its temperature set automatically, felt cold and empty.

"Commander?"

Silence.

"Chakotay?"

Still no answer.

Concern clawed at her as she wondered where he could be. That concern did not abate as the hours ticked by and he still did not appear.

 _Where could he be?_ Annika could not recall ever pacing before in her life, yet there she was walking from one end to the other in her otherwise empty apartment.

Considering what to do did not yield many options. Contacting the authorities to report him missing was obviously out of the question. She could look for him herself, but the list of places the Commander could be in the city was overwhelmingly long, the list of places he was likeliest to be was depressingly short.

[Quarren Medical Centre – Outside]

It was getting dark and close to curfew. Annika would have to return to her apartment soon.

She'd circled the building three times and seen neither hide nor hair of Chakotay. Security around the area was also significantly increased. Only a quick mind and memorization of the alleys in the area had saved her from running into patrols. Her conclusion of what happened to Chakotay was inescapable. Clearly, he'd been captured.

What was she going to do now? _Yerid._

Annika returned home and – mindful that her communications might be monitored – sent Yerid an encrypted message. She kept it short and simply told him she had reason to believe another one of the people he wanted to talk to was in the facility they'd discussed. Short of storming the hospital, there was nothing more she could do.

Whatever plans Chakotay made to save his people were gone now. She had no way to contact his ship, and no one else remembered their real past. She was now alone.

[Voyager – Ready Room]

Harry entered and irritation rose at the sight before him. The Doctor had made himself comfortable at the Captain's desk. It wasn't the only place he'd taken over. Despite the whole ship requiring repairs, it was increasingly difficult to peel the EMH from the Captain's chair.

"I've been analysing our scans of the Quarren patrol ships that attacked us," said the Doctor, "and I think I've devised a way of evading their sensors."

Not one to deny someone an honest statement of truth, Harry nodded. "You do have a knack for tactical planning."

"That's something I've been meaning to discuss with you." The Doctor stood, tapping a PADD excitedly against his palm as he walked to the large windows and gazed outside. Wrapped up in his own mental visions, he didn't notice Harry's exasperated sigh at the change in topic. "Once we've succeeded in this mission, and I'm certain we will, I'd like you to help me programme a new medical hologram."

Harry rolled his eyes, shifting his tired feet as he tried to think of a way to make the EMH see reason. "You don't like the idea of going back to your old job now that you've had a taste of command."

"I'm a skilled officer." His defensive scowl focussed on Harry. _I could be of so much more use outside sickbay!_

"No offence, Doc, but that skill was programmed into you." _Does he think we have an unlimited number of officer's positions, or that we can go without a physician?_ Harry suddenly appreciated Chakotay's efforts dealing with the EMH's ego over the years as he asked for more and more freedoms, sometimes at the cost of practicality and common sense.

"Yes, but so was my medical training." He folded his arms, looking down at Harry with a slight smirk. "And, no offense, Ensign, but I can learn new tactics and protocols infinitely faster than you."

Forcing his anger and frustration down, Harry answered as kindly and firmly as possible. He only managed it by reminding himself that the Doctor did mean well. "I'm sure once you're back to your old self, you'll be happy being a full-time doctor again."

A beeping interrupted.

Harry rounded the desk and tapped in a command at the computer. "Commander Chakotay's hailing us. We're receiving you, sir. Go ahead."

"I'm having trouble with my transceiver." Chakotay's voice came through, sounding a little stiff, but Harry and the Doctor were simply too happy to hear from him to question that. "This may be to last chance we have to talk."

"You've been quiet a long time," said Harry. "What's your status?"

"I'm almost ready to shut down the shield grid. I'm sending you encrypted instructions. They'll tell you where and when to enter orbit."

As stated, a message was received. Harry downloaded it quickly. "We have it, Commander."

"Chakotay out."

[Umali's Bar]

"Thanks for your message, but I didn't get very far," Yerid admitted. "The doctors refused to allow me to interview Tuvok and they were clearly upset I knew Amal Kotay was there."

"He is there?" It was one thing to suspect and another to have that suspicion confirmed. Annika's shoulders drooped.

Yerid nodded, frowning. "I looked him up back at my office, but there's no record of him being apprehended by police or admitted to the hospital. No wonder they were surprised I knew."

Annika drew a steadying breath. "Very well, we will have to continue on without him."

"Wait, have you been in contact with him?"

"Yes." No point hiding that now. "His proper name is Commander Chakotay. He confirmed some of what Mr. Tuvok claimed. He wasn't kidnapping people. He was attempting to rescue his crew. My research at the plant and a short communication from his ship confirmed his story."

There was a long moment as Yerid took this information in. Despite his initial expectations with the kidnapping case, this was turning into a very complex situation. Still, there was no denying the circumstantial evidence building in front of his eyes. "All right."

"If we can take down the security grid around the planet, I believe his people can rescue his crew. The only question is timing, but I suspect sooner is better. We should also attempt to gather information from Division 6. There may be others in the same situation. We also need to know how far into the government this conspiracy goes."

His gaze faltered, his hands playing with the half empty glass in front of him. "That's a tall order to fill."

"Yes." She noticed his fidgeting. "What is it?"

"Even though I want to help you, I can't."

"Why not?"

Yerid shook his head, embarrassed and sad to admit the next part. "The Director of Investigations relieved me of duty this afternoon."

"And now you are unwilling to help." Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm not—"

"Yerid?"

Annika and Yerid jumped a little and looked over at Tom Paris. He had spotted them when he entered for his shift and hurried over. Yerid glanced at Annika, but she was too upset to focus on him. The rebuff hurt.

Tom had no idea what sort of conversation he was interrupting and he didn't care. He wanted to know only one thing. "Have you found out anything about B'Elanna?"

Yerid grimaced, but before he could answer, Annika's acidic tone broke in.

"He can't assist you. He's been relieved of duty."

"Oh." Tom looked between them, finally picking up on the discomfort.

Annika turned her hard eyes back to Yerid, nodding her head in Tom's direction as she spoke. "This man is also in Tuvok's file. Perhaps you should tell him why he's here instead of with his friends and family."

"What are you talking about?" Tom's brows raised. _I don't have a family._

Yerid argued more for the sake of it than because he believed it. "You don't know for sure. Amal or Chakotay or whatever his name is could still be lying to you."

"Given the evidence, it is extremely unlikely."

Tom waved a hand to gain their attention again. "Hey, hey. Why doesn't one of you just tell me what's going on and I'll decide for myself if one or both of you are crazy?"

Yerid frowned briefly at Tom, but turned his attention to Annika. "I can't go back to the hospital and start asking questions. I'd be reported."

"Maybe I can help."

[Division 6 - Ravoc's Office]

It was more difficult than she thought. Sitting there in the hospital, putting on an act and pretending to be nervous about her own health while aware that Chakotay and Tuvok were nearby. They were so close and yet utterly inaccessible to her. She pictured Chakotay's warm eyes, the way they crinkled when he smiled, the softness of his hands on hers. It sent a small spasm through her chest.

"Recently, I've been…" Annika trailed off, fidgeting a little the way she'd seen others do when they didn't want to admit wrongdoing. If young Dr. Ravoc's sympathetic gaze was any indicator, her acting worked.

"I'm a doctor. You can trust me." _Poor woman._

Annika glanced away and breathed deep. "I've been experiencing some disturbing thoughts. I don't believe it's anything serious, but I would like to speak with someone."

He smiled, hoping to encourage her to speak more. "Well, you've come to the right place."

"Thank you." She watched as he accessed a PADD, indicating she should give him her information. It was common intake practice to look up her previous medical history. "Guest labour code green. Employee eight five eight six."

"Hansen, Annika. You've been a patient here before." He was surprised. She had the demeanour of someone new to discussing medical issues.

"Yes, I attended Quarantine when I first arrived."

He continued reading and grew both confused and concerned. "You were treated for dysphoria syndrome."

"I don't recall that." It was true. She remembered a brief quarantine and short psych exam, nothing for serious issues. Not even her personnel file at the plant had specified the result of medical exams.

"These disturbing thoughts you mentioned," Ravoc asked, his concern making him speak quicker, "would you characterise them as hallucinations?"

"What's the cause of this syndrome?" Was that how they obtained their victims? Did they pretend members of ships had this condition and then offer to treat it? Was that the guise they interred Tuvok under?

"We're conducting studies to determine that. Fortunately, we have one of the foremost experts on the condition working here."

It was the perfect opening to get the young man to leave. She could access the medical system from his office. "I'd like to speak with this expert."

Ravoc shook his head. "Dr. Kadan's very busy."

 _Bluff._ She stood, straightening to her full height, which she knew was intimidating. "So am I. Perhaps I should return when he's free."

Ravoc's dark eyes widened at the threat. He preferred not to use force to make her stay and had no provocation to make any detention legal. However, if speaking with Dr. Kadan would allow her to stay and possibly receive the treatment she needed… "Wait here. I'll find him."

Annika felt only a brief prick of guilt for the farce as he hurried away. Dr. Ravoc seemed kind. She fervently hoped he had nothing to do with the kidnapping and brainwashing of hundreds of individuals.

So hurried to stop her from leaving, Dr. Ravoc hadn't locked his computer properly. She moved swiftly to the console and began searching.

[Division 6 - Ravoc's Office]

Kadan was enraged. Not only were there two people whose programming wasn't sticking, but one of them was on the loose. "How could she just walk out?"

To say Ravoc was startled at the level of anger in his superior would be an understatement. Seeing his computer had been accessed, he hurried to the console in his office, explaining as he went. "She was a voluntary patient. There was no reason for security to stop her."

Kadan scowled at the back of the younger doctor. It was most unfortunate, Kadan having grown hopeful about Ravoc's potential. All that looked like it could go up in smoke.

There clearly had not been enough time for her to cover her tracks. Ravoc was able to pull up the search history from the last half hour, time he'd been away from the console. "She accessed sixty-four restricted files, all of them for people diagnosed with dysphoria syndrome."

Freezing, his mind working furiously over possible options, Kadan watched Ravoc review the data. He knew that on their own, the cases would not draw attention, but put all together and with the two patients Tuvok and Chakotay, the totality of the situation was beyond suspicious. Thinking over his options, Kadan drew closer to Ravoc.

"According to the records," said Ravoc hesitantly, suspicions rising, "those patients were all admitted on the same day, and you're listed as the attending physician in every case." He bit his lip, wondering...

"Oh, yes, I remember." Kadan did his best to sound nonchalant. "Quite – It was quite an outbreak."

"You've never mentioned it." More surprisingly, Ravoc hadn't heard a word about it from anywhere or anyone. Such a surge in the rare and disruptive disease should have resulted in a media release or at least a memo. It should have been investigated by every member of Neuropathology.

"Well, I'm sorry if I haven't kept you properly informed about my patients." Kadan made his tone a little angry, hoping Ravoc would drop the topic rather than insult his mentor. No such luck. Ravoc continued pulling up the data the runaway patient had reviewed.

"Everyone of them was discharged to the main Power Authority." So eager in his mission, Ravoc was totally ignorant of Kadan's discomfort or the way his mentor seemed to be thinking of a way out. "That supervisor you were talking to, that's where he worked."

"I explained that to you. I was informing him about a potential health threat."

And yet that explanation no longer made sense. Ravoc moved to the other console where he pulled up the information on the man who'd been brought in by security and treated by Kadan just the other day. "That plant worker, Amal Kotay. He claimed that his friends had been abducted and put to work after having their memories altered. The other worker, Tuvok said the same thing."

"What are you implying?" Maybe if he said it out loud, he would realize how absurd it sounded.

Ravoc turned, his youthful face confident as he pieced it together and finally accepted the evidence before his eyes. "You're making false diagnoses. Selectively changing what people remember, and then sending them to work at the power plant."

There was no point denying it, not with the way Ravoc was looking at him. Kadan sighed. "Very good, Doctor."

"Why?"

"A physician with more experience would be able to see this in the larger context. The true public health threat is the labour shortage, and the only cure is to find more skilled workers."

"We're doctors. We're not supposed to harm patients." Realization dawned. "You're profiting from this, aren't you?"

"Doesn't a physician deserve to be compensated for his services? We're still helping them. They're happy here. Or, at least they're made to believe that."

It was more horrific than Ravoc could have imagined. It was corruption of the highest sort. "I'll report you."

Kadan laughed. "To whom? My research is funded by the Ministry of Health and the Director of Investigations was the one who ensured Amal Kotay would remain under my care."

He felt deflated like an old balloon. Was this the careful and protective government he'd worked so hard for? During the war that had decimated the population so badly, Ravoc's whole family had fought for their government. Was this what they were fighting for? "Does everyone know about this?"

"Not everyone," Kadan said with a shake of his head. "It's just a few trusted associates. The question is, are you going to be one of them?"

[Jaffen's Apartment]

Jaffen opened the door on the first ring, his brows rising in surprise to see Yerid, who held up his badge. "Yes?"

"Are you in the company of a woman named Kathryn Janeway?"

Jaffen turned, looking behind him. A flash of red hair and Kathryn appeared at his side.

"Kathryn Janeway?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes. What can I do for you?"

Yerid steeled himself for a difficult conversation. He doubted she'd believe him at all. "I need to talk to you about some of your coworkers."

Kathryn shrugged and backed up, Jaffen holding the door so Yerid could enter and follow her to the table. Jaffen went to the adjoining kitchen to get coffee and tea.

"First of all," Yerid started as Kathryn sat opposite him, "do you remember a man named Tuvok?"

Kathryn nodded and Jaffen looked over with interest from his spot in the kitchen. "The man who attacked the Efficiency Monitor, yes."

"Right, well, do you remember what he was saying to Ms. Hansen when he was taken away?"

"He was shouting that they didn't belong there," said Jaffen. He set a tray with steaming mugs and accessories on the table. "Who could forget? I've never seen anything like it."

"Well, I now have reason to believe he was right."

"I beg your pardon?" Jaffen's brows rose to his hairline.

Kathryn was equally unsure. "What do you mean? Ms. Hansen isn't native to this planet—"

"No, he meant she hadn't come here of her own free will." He glanced at them each, hoping they didn't toss him out before he could explain. "He meant that many people at the plant," his eyes settled on Janeway, "yourself included, didn't come here seeking new jobs like you believe. You were kidnapped from a ship and your memories altered."

"This is absurd," Jaffen huffed. He glanced at Kathryn and grew disturbed by the conflict on her face. "You don't believe this, do you?"

"I…" She would never be sure why she hesitated.

"I'm not making this up," Yerid assured them. "Tuvok's species has telepathic abilities. His attack on Ms. Hansen was a melding of minds during which time he showed her bits of the truth."

Jaffen scoffed, folding his arms as he leaned back with a scowl. Yerid ignored him.

"Her real name is Seven of Nine."

"You sure she didn't just mix up her employee number?"

"Jaffen," Kathryn scolded. As strange as the Inspector's story was, she wanted to hear more, to know the truth. Yes, it was absurd, but Yerid didn't seem the type to spin yarns.

As the two listened, Yerid explained how Annika had accessed the personnel files at the plant and located the highly improbable number of workers starting on the same day, all of whom came through Neuropathology.

"Your name was on that list," Yerid said, nodding to Kathryn. "I saw it myself."

Jaffen looked at Kathryn in surprise. "You never told me you came through Neuropathology."

"I didn't." Kathryn looked back and forth between them. "I went through Quarantine and took the psych evaluation, but that's it. Are you sure—"

"Positive."

"What proof do you have of all this?" Jaffen asked. His stance remained unsoftened.

"Not much," Yerid admitted, "but we're attempting to get something more concrete."

"We?"

"Ms. Hansen has taken on the brunt of investigating this." Speaking about her, he spared a moment to wonder how her own mission for the day was going. "If she's successful, she'll meet us later."

"With proof?" asked Kathryn. She didn't doubt Yerid was telling them what he believed to be truth, but that didn't mean it was real. And yet she had a hard time shaking off his claims.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but how did you even get involved investigating this?"

Jaffen nodded. "I thought you were searching for a missing woman, not helping the Efficiency Monitor validate some hallucinations."

"You remember Amal Kotay?"

Kathryn nodded and even Yerid could not help listening with interest.

[Umali's Bar]

It was getting close to curfew so the pub was empty except for Tom and the security officers searching for Annika Hansen. Tom took a close look at the photo the officer held out. They stood in the doorway, the officers having just caught him as he was locking up.

"Have you seen her?"

Tom frowned over the photo, pretending to think on it.

"She's considered dangerous."

"No, I've never seen her," he said finally.

"You're sure?"

Tom smiled, letting his charm work its magic. "I don't think I'd forget _that_ face."

The officer put the photo away with a smile, not sure if Tom meant that the woman was pretty or that the metal above her eye was that distinctive. Either meaning could have been true. "If you do see her, report it immediately. She needs to be hospitalised."

Tom nodded and the officer left. He called out to the back room. "It's safe now."

Annika peered out. Satisfied, she left her hiding spot with Jaffen, Kathryn and Yerid on her heels. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

"Well, if you really want to thank me, you can tell me what's going on, all of what's going on."

The group settled around the bar and Tom locked the doors using a control there.

"Commander Chakotay – Amal Kotay – and Mr. Neelix came here to investigate the disappearance of their crew, us." Annika slid a PADD to Yerid, the results of her searches at Division 6. She'd taken more time there than she should have, meaning she hadn't had time to show him the results yet. "He found us with our memories altered and programmed to be happily working at the power plant."

Jaffen, despite his initial disbelief with Yerid, found it difficult to dismiss Annika's claims. She was too confident, to solid in her statements. Plus, she now had proof. It posed a large problem for him. _Are any of my memories real?_ "So, every worker at the plant had their memories altered?"

Annika shook her head. "I don't believe it's every worker. Your name didn't appear in Dr. Kadan's patient files, but mine did." She nodded to Tom and Kathryn. "So did yours."

Yerid finished skimming the data on the PADD. He frowned. "I'll need more evidence before I start making accusations."

Jaffen took the PADD and read. It was a summary of the patients from the plant that had gone through Division 6. All were diagnosed with this mysterious dysphoria syndrome and treated by the same doctor. It was beyond bizarre. However, it wasn't a fired phaser. A handful of communications between this Dr. Kadan, the plant supervisor Rook, and some military persons were damning, but not outright proof of illegal activities. Even if it was, they still had no idea who they could trust beyond their current circle.

"Can you get back into Division 6, hack their computer again and get more information?" asked Tom.

Annika shook her head. "Security is too high now."

"Well, we can't do nothing." He looked at Annika, who nodded.

"Proof of our real identities will be aboard… his ship, Voyager," said Annika, "as is B'Elanna."

"This ship I'm supposedly the captain of?" said Kathryn.

Annika turned her knowing gaze to the other woman, fully aware of the conflict she felt. "There's a way to fully prove or disprove all this."

"Contact Voyager."

Annika nodded. "When the Commander's crew contacted him, they were using a triaxialating frequency on a covariant subspace band. There's a subspace transponder at the power plant."

"When are you going?"

Annika straightened, her eyes flickering away from their faces at her next admittance. "I'm not." She put on her most stoic expression. No doubt they would try to talk her out of her plan, but her mind was made up and had no way to properly explain all her motives. "I am returning to the hospital. We need you to contact Voyager."

"If you go back," said Jaffen, "you'll be caught and put through whatever they're doing to Tuvok and Chakotay."

"Not if I return there as Yerid's prisoner. The most security is on the outside. Once past it, we will have a chance to help Tuvok and Chakotay." She turned back to Kathryn. "You will contact Voyager and explain the situation."

"And then?" Kathryn doubted a woman like Annika would go this far without a more concrete end in mind.

"He said they needed the shield grid disabled in order to retrieve their crew. If their proof is sufficient…"

"I understand." More than that, Kathryn appreciated the built-in safety net Annika had put into this plan. If Chakotay was lying and Voyager unable to produce any evidence that their current lives were a lie, then there was no expectation or pressure to take down the grid.

"Good."

Kathryn turned to Jaffen. "I'm going, but I understand if you don't want to be involved."

Jaffen smiled and took her hand. "I've been involved from the moment I met you."

Annika watched the exchange with a silent stoicism that masked a powerful envy. She wished she could feel the affection they shared. If only she could remember her previous life, remember Chakotay. She was sure now that she knew what they really had been to each other and longed to have it back. She bolstered her patience by reminding herself that if they were successful, she'd have the opportunity to go home and reclaim all she'd lost.

[Division 6]

Annika lay on the bed paramedics had placed her on after Yerid called for medical assistance a block away. She forced her eyes to remain shut and relied on her other senses to tell what was happening. At her side, Yerid was trailing along, forcing his way into the unit with her.

They were placed in a small examining room, really just an enclave to the side.

Dr. Kadan was quick to arrive when Annika's name was announced to him.

"I had to sedate her," Yerid explained as Dr. Kadan entered. "She wouldn't come voluntarily."

"Her condition's obviously worsened." Kadan breathed a sigh of relief, glad the last of the conspirators was finally neutralized. He was so relieved, he didn't question why or how Yerid managed to apprehend her. "I'll treat her."

Yerid shook his head, refusing to let go of the bed. "There are some other patients I'd like to interview."

Distracted by the PADD shoved into his face, Kadan glanced at the names on the list. He immediately shook his head. "These people can't be disturbed."

Yerid pulled out a phaser. The problem was that they both knew he wouldn't fire it.

Kadan reached for the alarm, but soon found an iron grip around his wrist as Annika sat up and took hold of him. "You will take us to those patients."

[Voyager - Bridge]

Voyager was close to Quarra, on course according to the directions Commander Chakotay sent them. It didn't occur to them that the directions had been sent while he was under coercion.

Each working hard to make up for the lack of a full crew, Neelix stood at Harry's usual spot while Harry piloted the ship and the Doctor worked Tuvok's tactical station. To the side, B'Elanna sat and managed engineering control.

Neelix, his eyes glued to his work, noted the computer's alarm. "We're being hailed."

"Chakotay's a little early," Harry noted.

The Doctor nodded to Neelix. "On screen."

Captain Kathryn Janeway's face appeared on the screen, looking a little disbelieving and a little fuzzy from the tenuous communication link. "Starship Voyager."

As welcome as the sight was, Harry had expected Chakotay. "Captain?"

Her surprise clearly visible, she blinked at them with wide eyes. "Why don't you just call me Kathryn?"

 _Interesting_. He supposed she was still under whatever mind alteration the Quarren government imposed on her. "Yes, ma'am. Where's Commander Chakotay?"

"He's been hospitalized, but he told me you had proof of who some of us really are."

B'Elanna, who was practically cured, acted on a hunch. She stood and walked into view to stand at Harry's side. Her appearance was a well-chosen move. "We do."

Kathryn's eyes widened further. _So, it's true._ "You're the woman who was abducted."

B'Elanna gave a quick nod, but there wasn't the time to explain her own situation. They needed to get the crew off Quarra. "Chakotay was supposed to deactivate the shield grid so we could transport you and the others to safety. If you could find a way to shut down main power, the shield grid will go down too."

Harry, his boyish visage as innocent and candid as anything Kathryn could have imagined, implored as well. "Will you help us?"

Before she could answer, Voyager was rocked by the impact of weapons fire.

"We're under attack by three ships," the Doctor shouted over the din of blaring alarms.

Harry looked up at the screen, at their only hope to get their crew safely home. "Please, shut down the shield."

Another volley of hits and the communication link clicked off.

B'Elanna patted Harry's shoulder as she took her seat again, rerouting power from damaged spots and trying to repair communications.

"So much for evading their sensors," said Harry.

The Doctor grimaced. As far as he could tell, their stealth techniques were not at fault. "The only way they could've found us is if they knew exactly where to look."

Another hit and Voyager shuddered violently.

B'Elanna managed to stay in her seat by holding onto the console. That didn't stop her stomach from dropping as she read the incoming damage report. "Transporters are offline."

[Power Distribution Plant]

Kathryn hurried away from the station, but didn't get far. She looked around for Jaffen, but he was nowhere to be seen. Two figures approached, trapping her in place.

Leaning over the railing, Kathryn was struck by an idea when she saw a work console was just below.

One of the approaching figures, her supervisor Rook, approached with a weapon trained on her. "Don't move!"

There was nothing else for it. She jumped, landing hard and rolling. She was too slow. Another guard put a phaser in her face.

Before she could contemplate what to do or simply be shot, Jaffen appeared behind him and shocked the guard into unconsciousness. He took up the guard's weapon and shot at the others. There were more security officers approaching. He grabbed her arm and they hurried to hide behind the work station.

He crouched behind the terminal, Kathryn behind him. He looked up, her body pressed so close and hovering over him so he didn't have to crane his neck far. "I hope you didn't think I abandoned you."

Kathryn smiled, incredibly relieved to have him close. "Never occurred to me." She glanced around, her mind once more jumping to their objective. She patted his shoulder, indicating he should follow her. "We need to shut down the main generators."

Jaffen followed her, rounding the various consoles until they found a rounded terminal shrouded in dark. A few coworkers around them were evacuating. Jaffen glanced up. There were too many security guards. They were on borrowed time as it was. "We'll never get to the generator controls."

Kathryn smirked, an idea coming to her. She reached up to the console around them. "Maybe we don't have to."

"What are you doing?"

 _What I almost did my first day._ If only her accident had not been corrected. "If I can make the computer think the core is going to overload, the main power should automatically shut down."

[Division 6]

Annika was hard pressed to not run into the room Kadan brought them to. She was glad for Yerid's calm authority as he pressed the weapon into Kadan's back.

"Ask them to give us some privacy," said Yerid quietly.

Kadan, though conniving, was ultimately more concerned about his own skin and did as Yerid told him. He nodded to the various medics attending the patients. "You're dismissed."

When they were alone, Yerid pushed Kadan forward to Tuvok's bed first. "Disconnect them."

Annika's eyes were immediately drawn to the prone figure of Chakotay. Despite being sedated, he didn't appear peaceful. He looked rigid and eerily still. She went to him, reaching out to trace his tattoo in a way that felt more familiar to her than expected.

In the bed at Chakotay's side was the familiar face of Dr. Ravoc. Leaving Chakotay, she reached over and shook the young doctor's shoulder, but he too was sedated. "Dr. Ravoc." He remained still and unconscious. She looked up at Dr. Kadan. "Why is this man here?"

Kadan answered automatically in the tone he would have used to explain giving a patient cold medication. "Dysphoria syndrome."

Annika looked back down and brushed a stay lock of the unconscious doctor's hair from his face. She didn't believe Kadan for a moment. There had been nothing wrong with Ravoc when she spoke with him. No doubt, dysphoria syndrome was no more his diagnosis than it was Tuvok's.

[Voyager - Bridge]

Shields were almost down. Voyager continued to rock and jolt as it was hit by the attacking Quarren ships. And yet they couldn't leave, not without the crew. They couldn't help holding out hope that Katherine would disable the shield.

"Any advice from your tactical database?" Harry shouted over at the Doctor. For once, he was hopeful, not irritated.

"Nothing relevant." He held onto the console in front of him to keep from falling over.

Harry thought hard and he thought fast. "How many escape pods do we have left?"

"Five," B'Elanna shouted.

"Stand by to eject three of them."

The Doctor's wrinkles deepened. "I don't think abandoning ship is the answer."

"Neither do I. Can you create a dampening field around the briefing room that'll mask our lifesigns?"

"I believe so. Why?"

Just a little proud he could think of something the EMH did not, Harry's shoulders straightened and he smiled. "Watch and learn."

As Harry hoped, their attackers paused shooting Voyager to lock onto the escape pods with a tractor beam.

The attacking captain hailed them and the Doctor, seated in the Captain's chair, opened a channel. He allowed his irritation to seep into his acidic tone. "Yes?"

"Your crew abandoned you again." His scowling face looked down at the EMH, gloating as much as he could via comm. "I suggest you surrender your vessel."

"You should realise by now that I'm not programmed to do that." The Doctor, though wishing he'd thought of this plan, was glad at how well it was going. He kept his relief to himself and settled for a blasé tone.

In the ready room, Harry, B'Elanna and Neelix crammed themselves around the computer screen, monitoring the situation.

On the Doctor's personal screen, the distance between the escape pods and the attacking vessel decreased. When they were close enough, the computer beeped, the Doctor hit the commands, and the escape pods exploded.

The trio hurried back to the bridge, still able to see the resulting explosions as various gasses from the fleet ship ignited. The Doctor was already up from his seat, triumph illuminating his face and lightening his step.

"Good work, Doc."

"The congratulations belong to you, Ensign," the EMH replied, his smile wide.

[Power Distribution Plant]

The guards were searching and getting closer. Jaffen didn't know how much time they had left, but it wouldn't be long. "You'd better hurry up."

Kathryn, still peering over the top of the console from a crouch, muttered to herself. "Come on, do it."

Jaffen smiled, yet again wondering where she picked up the habit of talking to mindless computers.

She could feel that it worked a second before the computer blared out its alarm.

"Warning." Though monotone, the computer was loud enough and accompanied by enough red lighting to frighten anyone into evacuating. "Core overload detected. Initiating emergency shutdown."

[Division 6]

"Yerid," Annika gestured to Ravoc, who she still stood over, her face pinched in concern. "He needs to be released as well and interviewed."

Yerid looked over at the young man. He looked vaguely familiar, but he was too busy keeping an eye on Dr. Kadan to try to place him. "Why? Who is he?"

"His name is Dr. Ravoc." She eyed Kadan, hating him as much as she could remember ever hating anybody. "He was the one who initially interviewed me."

"You think he stumbled on what was really going on here?"

She nodded.

"Okay." Yerid had seen enough to know when to believe her.

Kovan had not yet finished bringing even Tuvok from sedation. He was, in fact, taking more time than needed in the hopes that someone would come check on them and help.

The lights flickered a second before backup power kicked in. Annika, Yerid and Kadan all looked around in confusion.

"The shield grid," Annika said, relief softening her stance and face. She looked to Yerid, who likewise smiled.

"How long until your people—" Yerid stopped, his eyes widening a little as the light of a transporter surrounded her. She glanced down at Ravoc, still on the table. Yerid hurried to reassure her. "I'll take care of them!"

Annika had no time to respond, the room fading and then disappearing entirely.

Yerid wasn't sure if she heard his last words, but he meant to keep the promise regardless. He returned his attention to Kadan, who stood over a now empty bed. Chakotay was gone as well.

Kadan sighed, his concern now for himself.

"Okay, Ravoc then." Yerid waved the weapon, prompting Kadan to move to the younger doctor's prone figure.

[Voyager - Cargo Bay]

Neelix, acting the part of security guard since the real ones were still a little confused, showed Yerid to the expansive bay. His smile was encouraging as Yerid hesitated over the threshold.

"I'm sure she'll be glad to see you," said Neelix kindly. He wasn't sure what sort of friendship Seven and this investigator had struck up, but the man had been so hopeful when he asked to see her that Neelix couldn't deny him the request.

Yerid nodded, a little uncertain this was a good idea. It took a steadying breath before he could step inside. As soon as he did, he was struck dumb by the sight.

Oblivious to the world, Annika stood in her regeneration unit, one of several lined up and glowing green against the far wall.

Taking a hesitant step toward the imposing regeneration units, Yerid both marvelled at the technology and was intimidated by it. Summoning courage, he forced himself further into the cargo bay. He made it almost to the step up to the unit she rested in. Looking up into her peaceful face, his fear dissipated. She was as he remembered her.

The computer beeped. "Regeneration cycle complete."

Yerid stepped back just in time for her to exit the unit. Her eyes took a moment to focus on him, but she smiled when they did. "I hope you don't mind."

Annika – for she had not yet started treatments with the EMH and still thought of herself as Annika – quirked her head with a smile. She really was happy to be able to see him again. He had proven himself reliable and honest. Even better, he'd proved to be a friend. "Not at all. I'm glad you came."

"You are?" A little hope lit in his chest.

"Yes, I wanted to thank you for all your help. I still don't fully remember Voyager, but I know it's where I belong."

"Oh, of course." His smile was sincere. "Happy to help… and even happier that you turned out to be right and we're not rotting in a jail cell."

She chuckled. "Indeed."

"I—"

"Dr. Ravoc?" she asked, chastising herself for not asking sooner. Given that it was her attendance to the hospital which led Ravoc to question Kadan, she felt responsible for the young man's troubles.

"He's fine," he assured her happily. "Dr. Kadan – who's been stripped of his position by the way – didn't have time to finish the procedure." He felt the urge to fidget and clasped his hands so that he wouldn't. "You know, a lot of people are going to take credit for figuring all this out and stopping Kadan's forced labour, but the truth is, if it weren't for you…"

"I'm sorry it caused so much trouble." She wasn't sorry she did it, sorry that Voyager's crew was whole again. However, she was sorry to see their society upheaved, Ravoc become a victim, and Yerid's brief relief from duty.

"Oh, no, no." He took her hand, subconsciously holding the human one over the metal-encased one. "The truth is what matters. I was going to say, if it weren't for you, we would all still be living a lie and innocent people would continue to be kidnapped and their rights violated. Thank you. I'm – I'm very glad you trusted me to help."

The doors slid open.

"Sorry." Chakotay paused at the sight of Seven out of her alcove and her visitor. "I didn't know you had company."

Yerid dropped Annika's hand, which he would have had to do anyway as she moved to meet the Commander. Yerid watched the two greet each other and saw only too clearly that any torch he carried for Annika emitted nothing more than a false light. There was some awkwardness as the two met a few feet away from him, each partially reaching out and then hesitating to actually touch. It was as though they had meant to kiss and then suddenly remembered they weren't supposed to, which Yerid knew was due to the remaining effects of the false memories Annika still carried.

Chakotay knew Seven still wasn't herself, which stifled his greeting to a mere smile instead of the embrace he longed for. To compromise, he took Seven's hand, finding comfort in once again feeling the juxtaposing chill of the Borg metal and warmth of her skin. His smile reached his eyes as she squeezed his hand back and led him over to Yerid.

"A formal introduction is overdue," said Annika with a smile. "Commander Chakotay, this is Inspector Yerid. He helped rescue you."

The two men shook hands, sizing each other up a tad as they did.

"Thank you for your help. I can't tell you how grateful I am to be out of that hospital."

"Yes, well, you're welcome. I'm glad you and Mr. Tuvok are doing better." Yerid wondered if there was more he should say, but no words came to mind. "I'm afraid I should go. There's still lots to do and I think your crew is eager to get going," Yerid said, smiling sadly.

Annika nodded, a little sad to know she would not see him again. His kindness was something she would never forget.

Yerid glanced at Chakotay, hesitating a moment before giving in to an impulse and giving Annika a hug. Her arms automatically embraced him as well. When he pulled away, she smiled at him, so full of innocent appreciation that he couldn't help smiling back. "Goodbye, Annika. I'm glad we met."

"As am I."

Yerid nodded to Chakotay, who returned the gesture, and walked out without looking back.

"Were you looking to replace me?" Chakotay turned with a teasing smile to Seven.

"What?" She looked away from the closed doors of the cargo bay to Chakotay.

He laughed to himself, realizing she truly didn't see it. "That man liked you."

She was confused. "We worked as a team successfully."

Laughing out loud now, Chakotay shook his head. "No, Seven, I mean he _liked_ you. He was interested in you romantically."

"Oh." She glanced back to the doors, wondering what to do with this information. She supposed it didn't matter. Even though she couldn't fully remember yet, Voyager was where she belonged.

"Sorry I interrupted." Chakotay's smile softened as he watched the cogs turn in her head. "I was hoping I could take you to breakfast."

"Aren't we leaving soon?"

"We have a little time," he said, his hand encompassing hers again. "The Captain has one more meeting before we go."

She nodded and allowed him to pull her out the door. However, he didn't lead her to the mess as she assumed he would.

"Your quarters?" Annika guessed as they entered a private apartment.

"Yes." He headed into the kitchen and began pulling out various ingredients. "I thought we could use some alone time and the mess is pretty crowded right now."

"I see."

Immediately wary of her distracted tone, Chakotay watched her as she circled the main room, looking around as though she'd never seen it before. The reaction was not entirely unexpected and though he'd debated the wisdom of bringing her there, curiosity and a desire for normalcy won out.

She sensed his eyes on her the whole time, but that didn't curb her interest and when she saw the pressed blue flower in a frame, she froze. _Delphinium scaposum._

"What is it?" Chakotay paused in the middle of chopping fruit. "Do you remember something?"

"You never did fully explain…" she glanced at him. "We're not just good friends, are we?"

He shook his head.

"We were – are in a relationship?" She picked up the frame, tracing the petals through the glass. Over the top of the frame, she could see Chakotay nod once.

"We – uh – we're engaged actually." He held his breath, but she just nodded, staring at the flower, lost in contemplation. _In for a penny…_ "Actually, I have something for you."

Annika barely heard Chakotay or noticed when he went into an adjoining room. She was focussed on reaching out into her memory. She tried as hard as she could, but there was nothing for her to see that Tuvok's mind meld had not already shown her.

"Here."

Startled, she looked up at Chakotay. He held something out – a ring.

"Not everyone's personal effects were located, but I did manage to have the Quarren ambassadors track your engagement ring down."

Annika took it, but didn't put it on right away. Curious and still trying to remember, she looked the circle over closely. Eventually, it was necessary to admit her failure. "I don't remember. I'm sorry."

Chakotay shook his head, taking the jewellery from her and placing it on her right ring finger. He couldn't be disappointed, not really. "Don't worry. You will once you start the Doctor's treatments. Now," he tapped her hand, making her meet his gaze, "how about breakfast?"

[Bridge]

Chakotay would never understand Kathryn's choice, but he didn't question it. She was free to do what she pleased and if she wanted to make an excuse as to why Jaffen couldn't join Voyager, that was her decision to make.

"Are you sorry I showed up?" The wonder and longing in her expression was enough to prompt Chakotay to ask the question, though he hadn't intended to say anything.

She took a moment so that when she spoke it would be the truth. "Not for a second."

Chakotay smiled a little, relieved, but not entirely fooled. He'd seen enough to know the crew really had thought they were happy there.

It felt like a dream now that she was on Voyager again, the perfectness of her Quarra life something she could neither trust nor think of without a powerful yearning. She looked out of the main screen at the planet and the spell of the false dream faded just enough that she could summon her usual, commanding tone. "Resume course, Mr. Paris."

[Chakotay's Quarters]

The smell of flowers welcomed him back that night. Dinner had been a quick, bland skillet replicated in his office.

Besides the short time spent on the bridge as they headed out into open space once more, his day had been taken up almost entirely with personnel issues. The Doctor's treatments were working remarkably well, but it still required some time and there was only one EMH to deal with the whole crew. As a result, the duty roster had to be changed.

Fixing people's schedules took enough time, but then there were the people sheepishly seeking him out for comfort. Many people had settled into productive lives on Quarra, a few even developing friendships and romantic relationships as Janeway had. To suddenly be pulled from that was shocking. Worse, was being caught between the EMH's treatments so that they couldn't tell what was real and what was false memory. How could they function even during simple daily chores? How could they speak to those around them when they only partially remembered them?

A vase of fragrant and colourful flowers sat on the kitchen counter, making the stress of the day fall to the back of Chakotay's mind. He smiled, inhaling deep as he wondered who brought them in. He didn't have to wonder long.

"Are they appropriate?" Annika came to the doorway from the bedroom. He jumped a little at her appearance, which made her worry her impulsiveness was a bad idea. "My research indicated there are meanings associated to various plant species, but Mr. Neelix recommended this combination."

Chakotay glanced at the bouquet with a smile. Bright lilies, some roses and about a dozen other types of blooms with clashing colours proved Neelix had a hand in the choice.

"He said it would be the most fragrant." She wrinkled her nose a little, her sensitive olfactory senses tickling from the overload of pollen.

"It's lovely. What's the occasion?"

She left the doorway to come to him. "I wanted to thank you for coming after us."

"Well, it's not like I had a choice," he chuckled. Hesitantly, unsure of his reception, he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders. "I'll always come for you, no matter what."

"I'm glad to hear it." Her eyes flickered to the side, toward the bedroom behind her. "Tired?"

"Exhausted." He noted the direction of her attention. "Are you regenerating tonight?"

"I hoped I could sleep here as a matter of fact." She had difficulty meeting his gaze as she said it.

"It is your home too," he said with baited breath, "I'd love for you to stay." Then, because he was afraid she would be scared off by too much too soon, he nodded to the side. "I can sleep on the couch if you prefer."

She laughed, charmed by his unnecessary courtesy. "No, I think it would be unfair to kick you out of your own bed."

"All right then." Really tired, he led her to the bedroom. He replicated a shirt and shorts for her, the most she usually wore to bed, and left her to change while he showered and cleaned his teeth.

By the time Chakotay left the bathroom, his eyelids were heavy and Seven was already under the covers. She was on her usual side. He wasn't sure what, if anything, to make of that.

Annika watched with only a touch of uncertainty as Chakotay tucked himself under the covers.

"Goodnight." He smiled.

"Goodnight." She smiled back.

The light went out, but Annika continued to watch the dark lump of blankets that was her bedmate. The nerves weren't so much because of him as over the novelty of the situation. She didn't remember sleeping in a bed let alone with someone else.

"Chakotay?" she whispered, unsure if he was already asleep.

"Hmm?" He rolled over to face her. It was too dark for him to see, but he heard her breathing, felt the soft heat coming off her body and warming the bed.

Hesitantly, she reached out, her enhanced vision allowing her to see, and traced his tattoo. He closed his eyes, smiling at the touch. It emboldened her.

Though the feel of her fingers on his face was unexpected, it was nothing compared to her kiss. It was difficult to respond with restraint instead of the passion he wished. He managed it, however, as her lips met his and moved with such softness that he couldn't help remember that she still was not the woman he knew.

Cuddling close with a sigh, they finally relaxed.

[Sickbay]

"Seven, good morning!" The Doctor watched Seven enter and smiled wide, glad he didn't have to hound her to attend the treatments. He wondered if that was a side effect of her different personality or if she was better motivated than usual.

"Ann – Good morning, Doctor." She'd started to correct him, but decided it really didn't matter.

Pretending not to have noticed the partial correction, the Doctor gestured for her to take a seat in the surgical bay.

It didn't take very long and he could tell when she sat up that this would be their last treatment. Annika was gone. Her eyes no longer moved around the room as though seeing it for the first time, her speech was smoother and less stiff, and her step was confident.

"Well, how do you feel?" he asked, running a final scan over her.

"I remember…" She considered it seriously. The memories of Quarra were still there, both false and real, but the false ones were now discernable. She remembered Voyager, the Borg, everything she should. "I believe I can distinguish between reality and the memories implanted on Quarra."

"Good. Your false memories will continue to fade, if Lt. Torres' experience is standard."

"Yes, they are already lessened, like a dream."

"I'll chalk up your quicker healing to your Borg brain and Tuvok's mind meld, I think." The scanner clicked as he put it down with a triumphant smile. "Do you remember leaving Voyager for Quarra?"

"Yes. We abandoned ship due to a tetryon radiation leak after hitting a subspace mine."

He nodded. "That's right. How long did you spend on Quarra?"

There she had to think since she was unconscious for an unknown amount of time. "I recall being employed for a week prior to Tuvok's interference."

"Then besides a good rest tonight, I can't recommend anything else. You have a clean bill of health."

"Thank you, Doctor." Something else came to mind. She couldn't help smirking just a little, having overheard in the mess from Harry and Neelix what sort of conflict he got into during his short time in charge. Not remembering the EMH properly until just then, the humour in it belatedly struck her as she recalled Harry's exasperation. "I understand you had an interesting time commanding Voyager."

"Yes, well," he cleared his throat, wondering just what she'd heard, "it certainly didn't lack excitement."

"Are you planning to change your designation to Captain instead of EMH at any time?"

He laughed because she wasn't far off the mark from ambitions he'd once had and they both knew it. "Very funny. You know, Seven, as much as I would like the chance to expand my horizons, sickbay is where I belong for now. It's where I'm at my best and where I'm needed most."

"If I may be honest?"

"Of course. Always."

"I am extremely grateful for your skills in sickbay, as is the rest of the crew."

"Thank you, Seven." Truly pleased and proud to know the truth of the statement, the Doctor smiled. "Now," he gestured to the door, "I suspect you have a few people to greet now that you remember them properly."

She nodded, eager to see one person in particular. "Yes, I believe I do."

[Chakotay's Office]

Seven was a little curious as she approached the door to Chakotay's office and saw Megan Delaney leaving. The other woman's distracted gaze and partial nod gave Seven enough clues to guess the reason for her visit. Seven strode inside, catching the doors before they had the chance to close on Megan's departure.

Chakotay's face was in his hands as Seven stepped inside, carrying her small basket. "Difficult morning?"

Tired, worn and surprised, Chakotay jumped at the unexpectedness of her entrance. Despite a growing headache, Chakotay still smiled when he looked up and saw her. "You have no idea."

"I saw Megan Delaney leaving," she explained. "I assume you are still dealing with crewmembers who only possess partial memories."

"I retract my previous remark. You do understand."

There was a small coffee table and couch off to the side. She placed the basket there and approached his desk. A pleasant aroma wafted from the basket and he sniffed after it hopefully, his attention divided.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, still eying the table.

"My daily report." She stifled a smirk when he looked up, confused. She held out a PADD with the work she'd completed in the time between her sickbay appointment and coming to see him. "You failed to retrieve it this morning."

"Oh." He took the PADD, his brows drawing together as he glanced at it. Sure enough, it was a report from astrometrics. A little shorter than normal, it nevertheless was as complete and detailed as he'd grown to expect from her.

Seven waited, amused and thinking he must really be stretched thin if he was so easily toyed with. "Chakotay."

He looked up.

"A joke. I intended to have lunch with you."

"Thank the spirits." His hand rubbed over his face again. "I don't think I can read any more reports today."

Holding out a hand for him to take, she led him out from behind his desk and to the coffee table. Before he could sit, however, she turned and drew close, weaving her arms around his shoulders and kissing him soundly. Now that she remembered what she'd been missing, she realized just how much she'd missed it. His hands automatically held her tight, his lips responding to hers. She sighed, leaning into him further.

Chakotay pulled away just enough to catch his breath, leaning his forehead against hers. He laughed, realizing a little late what he should have seen as soon as she entered. "You're back."

"Yes." A quick kiss. "The Doctor is attributing my recovery time to Tuvok's intervention and my Borg biology."

"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad for it." His stomach rumbling, he sat and pulled the picnic basket towards them.

"Hungry?" Seven smirked.

"Famished. How did you know I haven't eaten yet?" It was after all well past lunchtime.

She just smiled and kissed his cheek.

A sparkle caught his attention. Her engagement ring was in its rightful place. It gave him an idea. "You know, there's something we've put off entirely too long."

[Hallway]

Seven was nervous, which she immediately told herself was irrational. Logic, however, was useless against jitters. She smoothed the sides of her dress for the fiftieth time. The movement caused a few petals from her bouquet to fall to the carpeted floor. She almost stooped to pick up the white petals, but Neelix's tug on her sleeve prevented it.

Neelix held out his elbow and she took it, feeling her hand trembling with some embarrassment. A few more white petals fell.

"Nervous?" Neelix looked straight ahead, but there was a knowing smile on his kindly face.

"Yes." She frowned at herself. "It is illogical."

"Not at all." He patted her hand. "You never were one for a lot of attention, but don't worry. Everyone gets the jitters and everyone here is happy for you."

The doors to the shuttle bay – the only place on the ship large enough to accommodate so many of the crew – opened. The light was dimmed in the bay, but not so much that Seven couldn't see Chakotay and Captain Janeway at the end of the long rows of people.

"This isn't what I pictured," she said quietly. "Everything was planned… perfect."

Originally the plan was to have a smaller ceremony on the holodeck, but when word got out what was going to occur, there was an uproar. Everyone wanted to see them get married. Besides the crew needing something to lift their spirits, they all saw Seven and Chakotay as a mesh of friend and family. To add to the fervor, the former Maquis took it as a personal insult if they couldn't attend their former captain's wedding. As a result, Seven had to ditch her careful plans at the last minute.

Neelix nodded towards the front. "Look at Commander Chakotay."

Seven obeyed. He was smiling in a way she'd never seen before and could never have expected. It made her breath hitch.

"He gets to marry the woman he loves," said Neelix, pulling a single bloom of Delphinium scaposum from her bundle of flowers and tucking it into the elaborate braids crowning her head. "Do you really believe he thinks this is anything but perfect? Do you think it should be any other way?" Neelix chuckled, thinking about the Commander's pouting on the last away mission. "Besides, he's waited long enough."

Overwhelmed, Seven could only shake her head, her attention now focussed only on one person.

Despite the darkened lighting, Neelix knew she was blushing and smiling as he held her arm. It made him think of her first days on Voyager when she appeared to be a heartless drone and needed to be taught everything from eating to processing basic emotions. How far she had come. How far they all had come. The memories brought up as many feelings of endearment and paternal adoration as could be expected from any father. She had been so lost once. And now she was getting married. He had to wipe away a tear.

Until the doors opened and revealed Seven in her wedding dress, Chakotay had nervously looked over the expectant faces of his crew, Starfleet and Maquis blending together so that he almost forgot who was who. He managed to smile at B'Elanna and Tom in the front row, even caught the eye of Tuvok and the Wildman duo who stood with Icheb. They and the rest of the people before him were more than friends now; they were family. They would all die for each other if it came to it. There was no way for him to express in words how proud and happy he was to have them there as he married the last person he once would have expected.

The doors opened. Seven and Neelix appeared to be speaking to one another, but Chakotay couldn't imagine what about and it didn't matter anyway. His eyes were drawn to Seven, to the pink tinge in her cheeks and the shine in her eyes. He would have to look at the pictures later to realize how his own self glowed.

The aisle was too long for either of them, but eventually Chakotay's outstretched hands had hers placed in them by Neelix.

Neither Seven nor Chakotay heard much of Janeway's speech. They were busy committing each other to memory.

"You may now kiss the bride." Janeway wasn't the only one who laughed as Chakotay immediately scooped Seven into his arms, dipping her backwards. The blonde scrambled a second, surprised by the quick move and sudden change from vertical to almost horizontal.

Tom Paris whistled, earning an elbow in the stomach from his wife.

Icheb smiled, amused by the Commander's enthusiasm for the human tradition.

The Doctor sighed, but did his best to feel happy for Seven. It wasn't as hard as it once would have been.

Seven's eyes had drifted closed once she felt assured Chakotay wasn't going to accidentally drop her to the deck. It was no chaste kiss and it was a few moments before she opened her eyes again, pulling away slightly to smile at him. His own crinkled his eyes and lit up his face. The sight made it hard to focus on anything else, which meant it was a good thing he was strong enough to pull her back up to her feet on his own.

It was good to be home.


End file.
